Ready to Love Again
by HandsThatHeal
Summary: After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways? COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Title: ** Ready to Love Again

**Author: ** HandsThatHeal

**Beta: **Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona

**Rating: ** M/NC-17 (For Future Chapter)

**Summary: ** After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer:** All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **A big thank you to Funkyshaz57 who continues to stick around with her expert Beta advice! I truly appreciate it.

**AN2: **Well, I'm back again. I just couldn't stay away! Here is a new fic that I hope you all enjoy. Happy New Year. . .and Happy Reading!

* * *

**SURGEON55170: **_Well hello again! We need to stop 'running' into each other like this!_

**SURGEON42621:**_Very funny! You sure you're a surgeon and not a comedian? :p_

**SURGEON55170:**_ Lol! Those are just two of the MANY things that I am. ;)_

**SURGEON42621:**_Enough of that! I need your help again, so if you could switch to surgeon mode, that would be great!_

**SURGEON55170:**_Of course. Shoot!_

**SURGEON42621:**_I have a surgery this week on a fifteen year old with Ewing's sarcoma of the clavicle and ribs. I'm trying to gather as much information as I can from as many sources possible. _

**SURGEON55170:**_ I haven't had much experience with that recently, but saw it a few times during my residency. What stage?_

**SURGEON42621:** _It's metastatic. It has spread at least to the right lung._

**SURGEON55170:**_Well that complicates things. Is this the initial surgery?_

**SURGEON42621:** _Yes. _

**SURGEON55170:**_What's your plan?_

**SURGEON42621****:** _I'm thinking it best to remove as much of the cancer as possible, but I'm worried that it has spread further than the scans show and may involve more extensive lung surgery or even removal of the entire lung. __If I have to, I'll go back in later for some reconstruction after the initial removal of the primary Ewing's sarcoma. Maybe bone grafts or prosthetic implants if necessary?_

**SURGEON55170:**_You're asking me? Sounds like you already have it all figured out. _

**SURGEON42621:**_I've been researching for WEEKS. _

**SURGEON55170:**_It seems to me that you know what you're talking about, and it sounds like you've got a good plan. No need to be searching for further information or opinions. _

**SURGEON42621:**_Well, thank you. It's nice to feel validated. Sometimes I have a habit of second guessing myself._

**SURGEON55170:**_No need. You'll be fine _

**SURGEON42621:**_Thank you. ;)_

**SURGEON55170:**_Well, I aim to please. :P_

**SURGEON42621:**_I hate to run, but I have an early day tomorrow. Thanks for your help._

**SURGEON55170:**_I didn't do anything. It was all you, and it's no problem. You're going to do an amazing job, and I look forward to talking to you again SOON. I'd love to get your opinion on some of my own cases. I'm really interested in hearing your thoughts._

"Hey," Callie called as she entered the master bedroom trying desperately to stifle a yawn, fatigue clearly evident on her face. "Who are you chatting with?"

Quickly closing her laptop, Arizona smiled sheepishly, a slight blush rising on her chest and face. Shifting uncomfortably on the mattress, she momentarily considered her response. "No one."

* * *

"You ready for date night?" Arizona asked the following evening, nudging her wife with her hip when she found her standing at the nurses' station of the ortho wing. She couldn't help but grin at the way the Latina worried her lip between her teeth as she wrote.

Callie smiled, signing off on a note with a flourish. "You bet. Just a couple more charts to sign, and then. . ."

The obnoxious blaring of her pager interrupted her statement.

"Oh, no! No, no, no," Arizona practically whined.

Callie sighed, looking down at the offensive device. Checking the display, she hesitantly returned her gaze toward her wife.

"Don't say it, Callie. Just don't say it."

"It's Owen. 911 in the pit," she reluctantly informed.

"But I got us tickets to _Evita_. It's your favorite," Arizona protested. "We haven't been on a date in months. We promised that at least once a month we'd go out just the two of us."

"I know, sweetie. I'm sorry," Callie said earnestly as she swiftly walked toward the elevator, the blonde following quickly behind. "It's not like I want to stay here."

Arizona rolled her eyes as the elevator door closed in front of them. "I know," she relented. "It's just that I've been looking forward to tonight for weeks."

Callie turned toward her wife, finding the pout on her face more than adorable. "Listen," she began as she took the blonde's hands into her own. "It's still a couple hours until the show starts. Finish up here, go to Joe's and have a glass of wine. I'll meet you there as soon as I possibly can."

"You promise?" Arizona grumbled.

Callie leaned forward, placing a chaste kiss on pouty pink lips. "I'll try my best."

* * *

Three hours later, Arizona sat alone at the bar, running her finger around the rim of her glass.

"Robbins, it's late," Cristina Yang said as she sidled up next to her. "Tequila, please," she requested of the bartender.

"Yeah, well, _your_ husband robbed me of date night," Arizona replied as she drained the last of her Chardonnay. "He has Callie in some surgery on a guy who broke his pelvis and every _freakin' _bone in his leg while _teaching_ his daughter to rollerblade. Sofia's at the Shepherd's, so. . .here I sit."

"Can I get you something else?" the bartender asked the blonde as he placed Cristina's shot of tequila in front of her.

"White wine," she replied.

"What kind?"

"The big kind?!" she huffed, clearly exasperated.

"Come on, Robbins, buck up," Cristina admonished, throwing back her shot glass. "You know this is how it goes."

Arizona let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, I know," she replied with a rueful smile. "Callie and I just haven't had much _alone time_ lately."

"Whoa, TMI, Robbins!" Cristina groaned, motioning to the bartender for a refill. "We aren't that close."

Arizona chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Get over it, Yang," she scolded, taking a sip from her newly replenished wine glass. "Seven years ago, you picked bugs out of my necrotic leg for four straight days. I'm pretty sure _that_ makes us _close. _You might not like it, but _that_ inextricably links us to one another for the rest of our lives."

Cristina stared at Arizona, slightly shocked by her candor. Smirking, she nodded her head. "Touché," she replied, raising her glass and clinking it against Arizona's before once again shooting it back.

They sat in companionable silence for several moments, Arizona compulsively checking her phone for any kind of communication from her wife. "I should just go home," she stated to no one in particular. "We've already missed the entire first act of the show."

"Well, while you sit and bitch, I'm going to pee," Cristina stated matter-of-factly as she hopped down from her seat.

Arizona shook her head as she watched her disappear behind the bathroom door. Swiping her thumb across the touch screen of her iPhone, she opened her messaging app.

_You almost fi_nished_? If not, I'm going to get a cab and head home._

"Can I get you another glass?"

Arizona looked up from her phone toward the new voice to find a stunning brunette with bright green eyes taking the vacant seat to her right.

Momentarily shocked by the question, Arizona leaned away from the newcomer, taking her in. She appeared to be in her early thirties and was very well dressed with a slim, athletic build. Her short bobbed hair shone with the lights surrounding the bar, and her tanned skin, a shade lighter than Callie's, seemed recently sun kissed. Allowing her eyes to wander, Arizona also couldn't help but notice the ample breasts that were staring her right in the face.

When Arizona didn't immediately respond, the stranger nudged her with her elbow. "I'm Natalie, by the way. I've been watching you from across the bar for the past hour, and I couldn't help but notice that you seem upset. I thought maybe I could cheer you up by buying you a drink," she offered.

Glancing around the bar, Arizona looked for any witnesses to this encounter. Turning back toward Natalie, she smiled politely. "No thank you," she replied. "I was just leaving."

From across the bar, Cristina intently watched as a beautiful brunette spoke with her former roommate's wife. With a sultry grin, this woman placed her left hand on Arizona's right thigh, leaning into the blonde's body, the stranger's breasts gently rubbing against Arizona's arm as she rested her left hand on the back of the elder surgeon's bar stool. Stepping slightly closer, Cristina watched as Arizona shifted uncomfortably and blushed when the stranger leaned in to whisper into her ear. Arizona then froze, nervously staring into her wine glass. A moment later, Cristina mouth fell open as she witnessed Arizona throw a couple bills onto the bar top before turning to exit the bar with the stranger following closely behind.

* * *

**SURGEON55170: **_When is your surgery? _

**SURGEON42621:** _Day after tomorrow._

**SURGEON55170: **_I'll keep my fingers crossed for you._

**SURGEON42621:** _Thanks. I'm sure I'll need it. _

**SURGEON55170****: **_You don't need it. You've researched and worked too hard to fail. You'll be great._

**SURGEON42621:** _What about you? Any interesting cases coming up? You mentioned wanting to get my thoughts._

**SURGEON55170****: **_Unfortunately not much is happening on my end. Life's a little boring right now. _

**SURGEON42621****: **_That's too bad. I'd like to hear about someone else's procedures instead of constantly needing help with my own._

**SURGEON55170: **_Stick with me. I'll come up with something. I've been looking to spice up my life a bit! _

**SURGEON42621: **_Sounds interesting! Have to run for now, though, but I look forward to hearing about this plan to spice up your life. Maybe I could help. ;)_

**SURGEON55170: **_I'll try to catch you again before your surgery._

An exhausted Callie entered the front door of the four bedroom house she now shared with Arizona and Sofia. Throwing her bag onto the floor under the coat rack, she shrugged out of her leather jacket, hanging it up before making her way through the dimly lit downstairs. Trudging up the steps toward the master bedroom, she let out an exaggerated sigh. She had _so_ been looking forward to her night alone with her wife, but now all she could think about was a hot shower and then the comfort and serenity of their bed.

Quietly padding through their bedroom door, she was surprised to see that Arizona was still awake. Momentarily admiring her wife who sat against the headboard, hair pulled up into an alarmingly high ponytail as she intently read something on her laptop, Callie couldn't help the smile that lit her face.

At forty-two years old, Arizona Robbins was still as beautiful as the day they met and was most definitely still _hot – really hot. _Staring at her wife as she moved further into the room, Callie had to admit that the reading glasses Arizona had recently been forced to start wearing, did nothing but amp up that hotness. Arizona had been initially reluctant to admit the necessity of said glasses, but when her vision began to affect her work, she finally relented. The first time Callie saw her in the super trendy _Dolce & Gabbana _dark rimmed spectacles, she couldn't help flirting with her like a moony-eyed school girl.

Reaching the bed, Callie leaned down to peck her wife's cheek. "Hey," she said when she pulled back. "Sorry I'm so late."

Arizona immediately shut her laptop, setting it on the nightstand. "Rough surgery?"

Callie sighed as she moved to the dresser to pull out her pajamas. "Do we really have to talk about it right now?" she asked. "My brain stopped functioning about three hours ago and all it can process right now is a shower and a bed."

Arizona smiled in understanding. "No, we don't have to talk about it," she conceded, sliding her glasses from her nose and placing them atop her closed computer.

"I'll just be a couple minutes," Callie stated as she pulled the bathroom door closed behind her.

Twenty minutes later she reemerged from the bathroom, her hair still damp from the shower. Climbing under the fluffy duvet, she turned her attention toward her wife. "You really didn't have to wait up for me."

Smiling seductively, Arizona rolled onto her. "I wanted to," she said as she sucked the Latina's bottom lip into her mouth, releasing it with an audible pop. "I was hoping I could get lucky tonight."

Arizona wiggled herself in between her wife's legs, wantonly pressing her hips into Callie's center. Feeling the Latina grasp her bottom, she leaned in to capture full lips with her own.

"Not tonight, Arizona," Callie stated, turning her head from the intimate contact as she used her hold on her wife to roll her back onto the bed. Rolling onto her side with her back to her wife, Callie cuddled into her pillow as a yawn emanated from her mouth. "I'm exhausted, honey."

"Umm, okay?!" Arizona replied, clearly scorned. "But it's date night," she whined.

Receiving no response, she leaned over her wife, gazing upon her relaxed and already sleeping face. Smiling slightly, she ran her fingers through brunette hair as she brushed her lips against the caramel skin of her cheek. "Goodnight, Calliope," she whispered.

Lying on her side facing the Latina, Arizona listened intently as Callie's rhythmic breathing filled the otherwise silent room. Studying her wife of eight years, Arizona felt guilty for the sadness and discontent she was experiencing. Earlier in the evening, she had told Cristina that she and Callie hadn't had much _alone time_ lately, but really, it was way more than that.

It wasn't just about the lack of sex, lately - though she certainly did miss that. If she was honest with herself, she couldn't exactly remember the last time they _had_ made love. Was it last Tuesday morning in the shower? No, Sofia had interrupted that attempt when she came barging into the bathroom searching for one misplaced tap shoe and one wayward shin guard. Oh, it had to have been last month after SGMW's softball team lost for like the tenth season in a row. No, that endeavor was thwarted by Derek Shepherd paging Arizona in for assistance with an emergency craniotomy on a six year old.

How long had it been?

It certainly was longer than the dry spell they experienced years ago when Mark was hopped up on Hollandaise, short ribs, and Coq au Vin, but it couldn't have been as long as the drought they went through after the plane crash. Could it?

Arizona sighed. She could remember a time when the answer to _when was the last time you had sex_ was simply _an hour ago_, but that wasn't the point. The issue was that she missed her wife. In every way possible. She missed talking with her, smiling with her, drowning in her infectious laughter. She missed _everything _about her gorgeous Latina.

Sometimes, their surgical schedules sucked and it was, at times, beyond chaotic when they had to get their third grader from school and then to dance class, piano lessons, or soccer practice while also making sure that her homework was completed and that she was fed, bathed, and clothed. Arizona understood that Callie was tired and that she had had a long day, but she couldn't help but feel that something in their relationship had changed. Something had shifted, and she couldn't help the unease she felt at the thought that they were slowly slipping away from each other.

Nuzzling her nose into the still damp hair at the back of her wife's head, she deeply inhaled the tangerine-vanilla scent that she loved. "What's happening to us?" she whispered into the darkness as she rolled over onto her own side of the bed.

* * *

"Hey, babe. You paged? What's up?" Arizona breathlessly asked the next morning as she hurried through the door to the peds unit.

Callie looked up from her chart before suspiciously looking around her. Secure that no one was paying any attention to them, she grinned wickedly, grabbing Arizona by the arm and tugging her toward the nearest on call room. Before the door was completely closed behind them, Callie had Arizona pinned against it, her moist lips blazing a trail down her neck, her right thigh pressed firmly against the blonde's center. "I want you so much," she husked into her ear as she grasped her hips pulling her more firmly against her.

Callie nipped at her jawline, and Arizona couldn't help the laughter that escaped her lips when her nose tickled the sensitive skin of her neck. "Ca-Callie! Stop!" she shrieked through a fit of giggles.

Callie chuckled along with her before quickly capturing pink lips in a heated kiss, effectively changing the blonde's laughter into soft moans of pleasure. Callie's tongue darted into Arizona's mouth and the blonde massaged it with her own in a battle of wills before her teeth grazed along her plump bottom lip, pulling it into her mouth.

"I wanted to do this all day yesterday," Callie murmured as she broke the kiss, pushing her wife's lab coat off of her shoulders and pulling her scrub top to the side to nip at the sensitive skin covering her clavicle. "But that damn surgery. . ." she trailed off as her lust filled eyes studied every inch of Arizona from top to bottom. "So I thought maybe I could make up for it right now, and then if we're lucky, _again_ later tonight."

Arizona only smirked sexily as she tilted her head to the side to study the beautiful woman standing before her, their eyes locking as Callie walked backward toward the small bed, pulling her along with her. "I can't, Callie," she informed, pulling away from her wife. "I have surgery."

Standing at the foot of the bed, Callie ignored her wife's protests as her hands travelled down Arizona's chest, palming her breasts through the rough fabric of her scrub top before leaning forward to capture her lips in an open mouth kiss.

Moving her mouth away from her inviting lips, the Latina licked the shell of her ear before blowing cool air against it. Though she knew she needed to leave, Arizona couldn't help but to press her hips forward to meet her wife's heated center.

"It's been so long," Callie whispered against Arizona's lips, her hands impatiently untying the drawstring of her scrub pants. "I need you so badly."

"Stop, Callie," Arizona urged, half-heartedly batting at her wife's roving hands. "I have surgery in ten minutes."

"I'll be quick," she insisted against pink lips as her right hand found its way beneath the silky material of Arizona's panties, her fingers moving through meticulously trimmed blonde curls to locate a hooded member. "God, Arizona. . .you feel so good," Callie ground out as she began to roughly stroke her clit.

"I said, NO. . .Callie!" Arizona scolded, jerking her head to the side to brusquely pull their lips apart. "Just, stop!" she said angrily, her body now completely rigid as she firmly held onto the wrist still inside her pants.

Hearing the sudden disdain in her wife's voice, Callie hesitantly pulled back to see only annoyance written across her face. Slowly removing her hand from the blonde's scrubs, Callie stepped back, holding both hands up in defeat. "Sorry," she said petulantly.

"I said I have surgery, Calliope," she huffed, hastily adjusting her pants and retying the drawstring. Stepping backward toward the door, Arizona shook her head. "What the Hell has gotten into you?"

"Certainly not _you_," the Latina spat. "In fact, _nothing_ has gotten _into_ me in months."

"Cute, Callie. Really mature," Arizona retorted, rolling her eyes as she bent down to retrieve her discarded lab coat from the floor. Straightening back up, she chanced a look at her wife. Where she assumed she would only find anger and annoyance in the fiery Latina's eyes, she also saw a hint of sorrow and hurt that she wasn't expecting.

Pushing her initial irritation to the side, Arizona stepped closer to her wife. "I'm sorry. I have to get to the OR," she stated sincerely. "Later, okay?" she asked sheepishly.

Callie could only nod slightly before watching her wife turn and disappear out the door.

* * *

**SURGEON42621:** _Hey! What are you doing on here? Shouldn't you be working?_

**SURGEON55170:**_Surgery got pushed. My intern just showed me how to get messages on my phone. _

**SURGEON42621:** _Welcome to the 21st century. ;P _

**SURGEON55170:**_Oh, shut up. _

**SURGEON42621:** _Just kidding. Lol! _

**SURGEON55170:**_I know. ;) Oh crap. Sorry, hey. . .gotta run. Getting paged to the ER. MVA. I should be around later this evening. I'll give you one of my famous pep talks to pump you up for your surgery tomorrow!_

**SURGEON42621:** _I can't wait! Have a good day. Goodbye. _

Entering the ER, Arizona scanned the area for Owen Hunt. "Hey, Hunt!" she called when she found him in one of the curtain areas. "What's the ETA on the car wreck?"

"Sorry. They were diverted to Seattle Pres. Didn't you get my second page?" he asked as he pulled off a pair of blue rubber gloves.

Looking down at her pager, she hit a couple buttons. "Doesn't look like it," she said with a grin. "But, that's okay," she continued. "That just means I have time to hit the coffee cart. Want a cup?"

"No thanks, Robbins. I have a meeting in five."

Watching him walk away, Arizona pulled her phone from her pocket. Maybe if Callie wasn't too upset with her after their earlier encounter, she would be interested in joining her for coffee.

"I'll take that coffee," came a familiar voice from across the nurses' station.

Glancing up from her phone, Arizona was shocked to see the stunning brunette she had met a Joe's the night before. "Umm. . .oh. . .hi, N-Na. . ."

"Natalie," she replied with a sexy grin.

"Right," Arizona said uncomfortably. Taking in the younger woman, she noted her attire. Unlike the classy look she was sporting the previous night, today Natalie was wearing navy scrubs along with a white lab coat to complete her outfit. "You work here? You're a doctor?"

Natalie smiled, pleased that Arizona was interested in continuing their conversation. "No and yes," she replied teasingly.

"So you don't work here, but you are a doctor?"

"Very good, Dr. Robbins," she said with a wink. "I'm here for a week consulting on a case with Dr. Shepherd."

"Oh, well then. . .welcome to Seattle Grace Mercy West," Arizona stated with a dimpled grin.

Across the ER, Callie stood behind a curtain, examining an elderly woman's left hip. "Looks like it's broken," she said to the woman's husband. "We'll get an x-ray to be sure, but I'm going to go ahead and book an OR, now. The surgery should be no later than tomorrow afternoon."

The elderly gentleman nodded as Callie removed her gloves. "Thank you, Dr. Torres."

Pulling back the curtain, Callie walked toward the center of the ER, haphazardly jotting notes on the clipboard in her hand.

"You know, I always knew that you and Robbins could get a little _freaky_, but I never pegged you for having _that_ kind of marriage?" Cristina stated with a smirk as she fell into step with the ortho surgeon.

"What kind of marriage?" Callie asked, still distracted by her paperwork

"The kind of marriage that's ok with allowing someone else into your marital bed."

"Wh-what?" Callie asked, scrunching her face in disgust. "We don't. . .Arizona and I. . ." she trailed off, shaking her head. "What are you talking about, Cristina?"

"Robbins and that hot brunette over there," she replied, smugly.

"Arizona is in surgery, Cristina."

"Well, _that_ looks like her to me," she stated, raising her arm, pointing to where Arizona stood laughing with Natalie. "The two of them left Joe's together last night."

Following the direction of Cristina's outstretched hand, Callie's heart immediately sank into the pit of her stomach as a giant lump formed in her throat. Watching from across the crowded ER, she could tell that this stranger was gorgeous. Clad in scrubs and a lab coat, it was still painfully obvious that she had an amazing body, a shapely bottom, and magnificent breasts. There was just something unreal and about her. Her face, somewhat luminous, had an olive tone to it, and her eyes were a piercingly sharp shade of green. Her almost enchanting face was framed by wavy, brunette curls. Overall, she was truly an unearthly beauty.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, Callie cleared her throat. "Cristina. . .Arizona would never. . ." she trailed off, her mouth slightly agape, but unable to form words.

Suddenly aware of the distress her former roommate was feeling and empathetic to that miserably jaded feeling of a woman scorned, Cristina tried to diffuse the situation. "Yeah, you're right, Cal," she stated firmly as they both stood stunned by what was happening before their eyes.

Neither woman spoke again as they continued to watch the blonde laugh and talk animatedly with the young brunette. It was difficult to make out what they were saying, but their body language was easy to read. They watched as Arizona reached out and squeezed the woman's arm, a fairly innocent touch, but contact nonetheless. The other woman then gently placed her own hand over the blonde's, patting it lightly before they both turned to exit the ER.

Callie felt her heart racing, and she could barely breathe, but she knew she needed to stay calm and not jump to conclusions like she was so apt to do. She was acutely aware of the fact that they had hit a rough patch in their marriage, but that didn't mean that she and Arizona weren't still committed to each other. They were a family. They had a beautiful eight-year-old daughter. Arizona loved her, and she loved Arizona, and none of the rest of it mattered. Right?

Callie closed her eyes, trying to gather her thoughts. None of this made any sense. Arizona just finished telling her, not twenty minutes prior that she had surgery, so there had to be a completely logical explanation. But, Cristina said. . .

She knew she had a tendency to be a jealous person, sometimes completely unwarranted, but what she had just witnessed combined with Cristina's tale of the night before, was more than she could handle - more than she could bear. Try as she might, she was wholly unable to control the tumultuous feelings that consumed her. Harshly throwing her clipboard onto the nurses' station, it landed with a loud crash as she tempestuously stalked through the ER toward the exit.

Callie wanted answers, and she wanted them now.

* * *

**AN3: **Oh my! What the Hell is going on with Callie and Arizona? Let me know what you think! I look forward to hearing your responses!


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Ready to Love Again

**Author:** HandsThatHeal

**Beta:** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona

**Rating:** M/NC-17 (For Future Chapters)

**Summary:** After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer: **All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **I have to admit that the response to this story has been incredibly overwhelming for me. I had no idea that people would love it so much, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your wonderful reviews/comments! I even want to thank the readers who threatened to stop reading because they couldn't stand the thought of Arizona or Callie cheating! I'm not sure I've ever written anything that spurred such intense emotion from anyone, so for that, I am thankful.

**AN2: **Also, a huge THANK YOU to Funkyshaz57 who helped me immensely on a part of this chapter that I struggled with. Thanks to her, this chapter is 100% better!

**AN3: **To clear up a few questions. Yes, the plane crash did happen, Arizona did lose her leg, and Mark did die. To the anon reviewer who asked where the second chapter was, well. . .here it is! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

Rushing out the ER doors and into the sunlight, Callie quickly turned her head from side to side in search of her wife and the young harlot who was clearly determined to wreck her marriage. Glancing across the street, she watched as the pair disappeared through the doors of the _5 Point Cafe_, a favorite of theirs on days when they had time to leave the hospital for lunch.

As the door slammed shut behind them, Callie stood motionless, feeling as if her entire world was crumbling down around her. "What the fuck, Arizona?" she thought aloud, the emotion evident in her strangled voice. Looking up into the sky, she considered her options. The way she saw it, there were only two. She could just stand there and allow the irrepressible sadness and loss she was feeling to consume every fiber of her being, or she could march her ass across the street and confront the little hussy and her lying, cheating wife. . .

_Lying, cheating wife._ A lone tear trickled down Callie's cheek at the thought. Arizona Robbins, the most steadfast and devoted person she had ever met was in reality an unfaithful and untrustworthy slut. Callie shook her head as she roughly wiped the moisture from her face. That couldn't be right. She knew Arizona. They had been together for ten years. She trusted her with everything that she was. There was no way any of those unfavorable thoughts could be true. Arizona wasn't an adulteress. She wasn't a liar. It simply wasn't in her character - it wasn't in her makeup to be so hurtful to another human being.

Swallowing her pride and the ever growing lump that continued to form in her throat, Callie decided that it was now or never. She needed to put one foot in front of the other, cross the street, and enter the cafe door so that the only person she ever really loved could provide her with the answers she needed to put her overactive mind to rest.

Finally reaching the large windows of the restaurant front, Callie immediately lost her nerve when she saw her wife seated next to the beautiful stranger, smiling brightly as she pointed out specific items on the menu. That was something Arizona loved to do. She was a lover of food - not all food - just good food. Arizona had the uncanny ability of being able to point out specific ingredients in certain restaurant's dishes, and the two of them spent many enjoyable and even sexy nights together sharing a bottle of wine while they attempted to replicate the recipes at home. It was a hobby of theirs. Maybe it was boring - maybe it was mundane - but it was _theirs_, and Callie couldn't help the intense jealousy she felt at the thought of Arizona doing that with someone else. She couldn't stand the thought of Arizona doing _anything_ with someone else.

As the determination that had just propelled her across the street waned into a terrible sense of grief, Callie hung her head and dejectedly walked back toward the hospital as she wondered if anything would ever be able to soothe her now broken heart.

* * *

"Sofia! Dinner!" Callie called up the stairs later that evening. Her shift ended at three, giving her time to she retrieve their daughter from school in time to take her to piano lessons, before returning home to fix dinner as the girl played in her room.

"Coming, mom!"

"Wash your hands!" Callie instructed.

Attempting to carry on as usual in front of Sofia as she tried to pretend that her entire world wasn't falling apart, Callie stepped back into the kitchen to set the table for three. Arizona had texted earlier to say that she would be home by six, but at this point, Callie wasn't hedging her bets.

Glancing up at the clock, she noted the time was 6:18pm. Arizona was rarely late, but when she was, she always called or texted. Apparently that had suddenly changed. Apparently a lot of things had changed.

Filling her glass with Pinot Noir and Arizona's with Chardonnay, Callie heard the front door open followed by the tell-tale sound of Arizona depositing her keys on the stand near the door. "Hey, I'm home!" she called into the quiet house as she perused through the stack of today's mail.

A moment later, Sofia came bounding down the steps to great her mother. "Hey, momma! Mom said she you might be late for dinner."

"She did?" Arizona asked, furrowing her brow in confusion. "Well, here I am," she continued as she brushed Sofia's bangs to the side to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. "How was your piano lesson?"

"Today, I started on the _Theme to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony_," Sofia informed as she followed Arizona into the kitchen. "I was getting tired of _Fur Elise_."

Callie watched from behind the island as the two entered the kitchen talking animatedly about both of their days. They were natural together. They belonged together. Sure, Sofia looked nothing like Arizona, but her mannerisms were very much the same, all the way down to the inflection in her voice when she spoke. From the very beginning, Arizona was Sofia's momma in every way, and Sofia was her baby. That fact was indisputable. How could Arizona do anything to jeopardize her relationship with Sofia when she fought so hard to be a part of her life? Callie shook her head at the thought of Sofia being without her. Their little girl wouldn't survive that.

"Hey," Arizona said with a dimpled grin as she rounded the island to stand next to her wife. "Can I help with anything?" she asked as she brushed a gentle kiss across the Latina's cheek.

Callie tried to remain normal, but couldn't help but to flinch slightly at the gesture as she shifted uncomfortably away from the contact. How could Arizona play so coy?

Her wife's reaction not going unnoticed, Arizona recognized the fire and agitation present in the Latina's eyes as she regarded her skeptically. "You okay?" she asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

Callie didn't respond - she couldn't form words - and even if she could, she was unsure of what she would say. Anything she wanted to allow to spew forth from her mouth was certainly not appropriate in the presence of a minor. "Fine," she said curtly as she turned around to plate grilled chicken, broccoli, and couscous onto three plates.

Watching as Callie huffed around the kitchen, her every movement flippant and tense, Arizona let out a sigh as she picked up the salad bowl from the counter, carrying it to the dining table before taking her seat next to Sofia. "Last game of the season, tomorrow. Huh, Sof?" she asked as Callie practically threw her plate down in front of her.

"Yep," Sofia replied through a mouthful of food, completely oblivious to the chill between her mothers. "I can't wait. You don't have to work do you?"

"Nope," Arizona smiled. "I'll be there for sure."

"What about you, mom? Do you have surgery?"

Callie looked up from pushing the food around on her plate with her fork. "No, baby," she said with a smile. Through the years and through everything they had been through as a family, Sofia was the one thing that could always make her smile. Even when everything else was going so terribly wrong, Sofia was the one thing she knew she did right. "I'll be there," she said softly as uncontrolled tears began to well in her soulful eyes.

Arizona and Sofia both watched as Callie wiped her mouth with the edge of the napkin. "I-I. . .excuse me," she said as she stood quickly from her seat to turn and exit the room.

* * *

Three hours later, Arizona sat on the side of Sofia's bed, tucking her in for the night. "Alright, superstar. You need your sleep for tomorrow's big game," Arizona said as she brushed wayward raven locks back from Sofia's face.

"Can I read a book, momma?" she asked.

Arizona pursed her lips, pondering the question. "Fifteen minutes. . .and then lights out," she replied with a smile. "And I mean it. I'm going to come check."

"Okay," Sofia conceded, leaning upward to return Arizona's embrace.

"Love you," Arizona stated as she stood from the bed, moving toward the door.

"Love you, too."

Pulling the door closed behind her, Arizona hesitantly made her way toward the door leading to the master bedroom - the door leading to her angry, or upset, or. . .she wasn't really sure what Callie was at the moment.

Opening the door slightly, she tentatively peeked her head inside. "Umm. . .can I come in?" she asked, her voice almost childlike.

Callie didn't look up from her iPad, shaking her head as she searched through the stacks of papers that lay strewn about over their bed. "Well, I can't stop you," she replied offhandedly.

Arizona sighed as she forced herself into the room, closing the door behind her. "What the Hell is wrong with you?" she asked, her voice rising. "Are you still pissed about today in the on call room?"

"I'm kind of busy here, Arizona," Callie replied, her tone expressionless.

"Yeah, we're both kind of busy," Arizona stated sarcastically. "What's going on with you?"

"I'm exhausted. I have a ton of research to do," Callie retorted, still not meeting her wife's eyes.

"You're lying."

Callie's eyes instantly snapped up toward her wife, her body recoiling as if she had just been slapped. As a strangely maniacal laugh fell forth from her lips she threw her iPad to the side. "That's funny coming from _you_."

Callie studied Arizona's face. Wow - this woman was good. Really good. She certainly had this ruse down pat. She appeared to be so utterly confused when in reality, she was just a lying, cheating, double-crossing. . .

"Wh-what are you talking about? I have _never_ lied to you."

Something inside Callie snapped. Unable to remain calm for another second, she quickly stood from the bed, charging toward her wife, rage evident in her chocolate eyes. She wanted to hit something - she wanted to slap her wife right across her traitorous mouth. The instant the consequences of that impulse filtered into her brain, she halted, watching intently as terror filled Arizona's eyes.

She had never seen that look on her wife's face before. Sure, they had argued and they had fought, but never had Callie seen such a look of unabashed trepidation and fear overcome her wife's features.

Trepidation and fear of her. It was clear that Arizona was afraid of her - afraid of her actions, afraid of her behavior, afraid that Callie was actually about to strike her.

Hanging her head, Callie berated herself for wanting to hit her wife - for behaving so callously. She wasn't that person. She would never intentionally hurt Arizona in any way - physically or emotionally - even if that sentiment was not returned.

Anxiously smoothing the carpet under her bare foot, Callie finally looked up in Arizona's direction. "I-I'm sorry," she said, her voice choked as silent tears began to fall. "You don't have to stay. I know you don't want to be here, so you can just go."

Arizona's demeanor quickly turned from fear to bewilderment. "What are you talking about, Callie? I'm not leaving."

"Yes you are," Callie stated, her voice becoming more bitter.

"It's _my _house," Arizona spat. "You can't just kick me out of my own house."

"I don't want you here anymore!"

Arizona's eyes grew wide. What the Hell was happening? Where was this coming from? "You-you're exhausted, Callie. You're worried about something, so you're picking a fight. . ."

"Get the HELL OUT, ARIZONA! I can't do this anymore!"

Arizona shook her head, balking at the tone of her wife's voice. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I'm not leaving, Callie. We are going to sit down, and you are going to tell me. . ."

The noxious sound of Arizona's pager began to blare from where it rested on the dresser. Both women stared at each other, tears now streaming down Callie's face as moisture willed in Arizona's eyes. "Just go," Callie whispered.

"I'm not leaving you, Calliope. You're clearly upset about something and that's all that matters to me right now."

Stepping toward the dresser, Callie took the offensive device into her hand, glancing at the display. Reading the letters across the screen, she closed her eyes, a rueful smile crossing her face. "Here," she stated as she tossed the pager in her wife's direction. "You're girlfriend needs you."

Catching it, Arizona stared at it in confusion.

_Dr. Minardi - Lennox-Gastaut kid - 911_

Considering the perplexed look on Arizona's face, Callie stepped around her wife to open the bedroom door. "I know about the two of you, Arizona," she said adamantly. "So, you can just go."

"Callie, I. . .I'm not. . .she's not. . ." Arizona couldn't bring herself to even say the words.

"Please. Just go."

Unable to hold her wife's gaze, Arizona stepped through the door and into the hallway before the door was immediately slammed in her face.

* * *

**SURGEON55170****: **_Hey! I know it's late, and I don't have much time, but I just wanted to wish you good luck on your surgery tomorrow. _

**SURGEON42621****: **_Thanks. I'll need it. _

**SURGEON55170****: **_Don't underestimate yourself. From what you've told me, you seem hugely talented, so very smart, and outstanding at your job. You can easily accomplish your goals. I'm sure of it. I have to run, but just so you know, I'm wishing you the confidence to dream big dreams and the guts to follow them. You have what it takes to do more, different, and exciting things. Be brave, be true to yourself, and allow yourself to be more._

**SURGEON42621****: **_Wow! You really are good at pep talks. Thank you and goodnight!_

**SURGEON55170****: **_Goodnight!_

* * *

Callie lay awake in bed, her face red and her eyes bloodshot from the torrent of tears that had flowed freely after Arizona's departure.

She was so confused. Arizona hadn't reacted as she expected when she accused her of having an affair. She didn't look guilty, she didn't look like she had been found out, but instead she looked hurt and utterly confused.

Was she really that good? Had she been doing this for so long that it was just old-hat. Was she really such a conniving bitch? At this point, she could be a psychopathic serial killer for all she knew. A strangled bark or laughter left Callie's chest. Perky Arizona Robbins with butterflies on her scrub cap, a cold blooded murder _and_ an adulteress? Seriously?

Callie balled her hands into fists and harshly hit them against her forehead. She felt nowhere nearer to the answers she needed now than she did twelve hours ago. Why couldn't she just have a rational conversation with her wife? How had they seriously made it for ten years together with such piss poor communication?

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she once again considered Arizona's reaction to her accusations. She didn't fight, she didn't argue - she really didn't do much of anything. In fact, she seemed sincerely concerned for her wife's well-being. That certainly was _not_ what Callie had expected.

Callie bounced her knees anxiously as she considered what she should do next. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe there was still a logical explanation to all of this bull shit. Worrying her lip between her teeth, she pulled herself from the bed and padded quietly into the study, careful not to wake Sofia. Pondering the sanity of what she was about to do, she closed her eyes, taking a deep cleansing breath before rushing toward the desk where Arizona's laptop sat open.

Taking a seat in the comfortable leather chair, she clicked the spacebar on the keyboard, awakening the computer from its sleep mode. Brushing her index finger across the sensor pad, she immediately double clicked on the _Google Chrome _icon, surprised to find that the computer was still logged in to Arizona's Gmail account.

Instantly feeling guilty for her actions, she pushed herself back from the desk, rolling a few feet backwards in the desk chair. "Oh my God, what am I doing?" she asked into the silence of the dark room. If she hadn't already ruined their marriage by falsely accusing her wife of an affair, this certainly would not endear her to the blonde. "Oh fuck it," she cursed, flexing her fingers over the keyboard as she opened Arizona's email account.

Scrolling down through the messages, she gasped as she felt a fresh onslaught of tears sting her eyes. She couldn't believe her what she saw.

_**Confirmation: Your Flight + Hotel Package!**_

Acting on impulse, Callie clicked on the email's link.

_**Confirmation: Flight + Hotel Package!**_

_**Seattle/Tacoma, WA (SEA) to New York, NY (JFK) - Nonstop**_

_Dear Arizona Robbins,_

_We have chosen the flight for your package based on your search criteria, travel time, and best price._

_**Depart: **__Fri, Nov 27_

_Seattle/Tacoma, WA (SEA) 07:05AM to New York, NY (JFK) 03:17PM - Non-Stop_

_Delta Air Lines 842_

_**Hotel Details**_

_**Your 3 day, 2 night stay **_

_**Check-in: Fri, Nov 27 | Check-out: Sun, Nov 29**_

_**1 Room - 2 Adults**_

_**The Westin New York at Times Square**_

_270 West 43rd Street New York, NY 10036_

_Manhattan: Midtown_

_Guest rooms are luxurious and chic, reflecting Manhattan's upscale style. Each room is equipped with cable TV, coffeemakers, high-speed Internet access, Westin Heavenly Beds and Baths, minibars, safes, and two dual-line telephones._

_**Total Price: $1,211.42**_

_Price includes flight + hotel and Taxes, Tax Recovery Charge + Airline & Agency Fees. Additional Baggage fees may apply*_

Callie sat speechless, reading and rereading the words on the screen.

November 27. The day after Thanksgiving. The day Arizona was supposed to leave to attend the _American Pediatric Surgical Association's _annual meeting in Marco Island, Florida. Arizona's parents were spending the Thanksgiving holiday with them in Seattle, but were planning to leave that day due to a charity event Daniel was required to attend. For that reason, Callie had decided to stay in Seattle with Sofia while Arizona spoke at the conference.

Slamming the computer shut, Callie stood from her seat, harshly rubbing her temples. Her wife _was_ a liar. She _was_ a cheater. The proof she wanted - the proof she needed - was written across the computer screen. The love of her life was planning a trip with someone else - Dr. Natalie Minardi, Callie was sure - to New York City, when she was supposed to be speaking at a conference in Florida.

Pacing the room, Callie's heart began to race, her breathing shallow and irregular. She had been through all of this before, but with George it was different. That marriage was doomed from the get go, but this, this was just. . .

Her chest ached, and her stomach churned. She was dying, she was sure of it. If someone could die of a broken heart, that was exactly what was happening to her at that very moment. How could this be happening? This was not the way their story was supposed to end. Feeling the bile rise in her throat, she quickly ran to the hallway bathroom, emptying the entire contents of her stomach into the toilet.

* * *

The following morning, Arizona stood at the coffee cart, pondering the events of the previous night. She couldn't believe that Callie had kicked her out of her own home, and even more so, she couldn't believe that she allowed her to do so. She was just so shocked by Callie's words that she couldn't make heads or tails of what she should do. So like always, she kept quiet. She didn't defend herself. In fact, she didn't say anything. How had she and Callie made it together for ten years without being about to communicate? How had they not learned the importance of being able to express themselves after all these years?

"Pretty wild night, huh, Dr. Robbins," Natalie stated with a smirk as she came up behind her. "Caramel macchiato, please," she requested of the girl at the coffee cart.

"I guess you could say that," Arizona replied with a sigh, turning from the younger surgeon.

After paying for her beverage, Natalie followed closely behind Arizona. "You okay?" she asked as she placed her hand on Arizona's upper arm.

From outside the hospital, Callie intently watched as the woman who was determined to ruin her life comfortably touched her wife's arm as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Please don't, Arizona. Please don't turn around and go with her," she whispered to herself, her voice wavering. "_Please_ prove me wrong." Stepping closer to the pair, she stared regretfully as she watched them disappear together back into the confines of the hospital.

Refusing to allow her co-workers to witness another personal disaster, Callie turned on her heel to return to her car. She couldn't face anyone today because this time the humiliation had truly cut her off at the knees.

* * *

An hour later, Arizona stepped up to the OR board, scrutinizing her schedule. She needed to make sure that no one had scheduled a surgery during the time of Sofia's soccer game. Watching as Miranda Bailey erased a few cases from the board, she noticed that all of the procedures being wiped clean were those scheduled for her wife.

"Hey, Bailey. Why did Callie cancel her surgeries?" she asked the shorter surgeon.

Miranda turned around quickly, regarding Arizona with confusion. "She's your wife, you tell me," she retorted.

"Well. . .I. . .I got called in last night and haven't been home since."

"Ever heard of a phone?"

"I. . .well yes. . ."

"She called in sick, today."

* * *

_Since you won't pick up your phone, can you at least text me back? Bailey said you called in sick. I'm worried about you._

Driving through the streets of Seattle near their home, Arizona mentally scolded herself for texting and driving, but she needed to know that Callie was okay.

_Don't be._

Arizona screamed into the empty car.

_Can you at least tell me if you took Sofia to school?_

_Of course I took her to school. I'm not an idiot._

Pulling into the driveway, Arizona slammed her hand into the garage door opener. Quickly exiting the car, she entered the house in a rush. "Callie!" she called, her voice echoing throughout the downstairs of their home.

Receiving no response, she looked around the kitchen and living room as well as the bathroom. Not finding her anywhere, she ascended the steps toward their bedroom. "Callie?" The site she was met with upon opening the door caused her heart to sink into the pit of her stomach as a lump formed in her throat.

Callie sat in the middle of their bed surrounded by piles and piles of pictures, her face red and streaked with mascara from the tears that continued to fall down her tanned cheeks.

"Callie. . .what's going on?" Arizona questioned softly.

Callie shook her head, a sad smile forming on her lips. Reaching out, she held up a picture for Arizona to see. "George," she began, her voice no more than a hoarse whisper. "I wasn't good enough for him. I don't think he ever _really_ loved me. He was my best friend, but I couldn't leave it at that. I needed more. . .and then. . .he cheated on me. He cheated on me, and then he died."

Arizona watched wide-eyed as Callie tore the picture into shreds, throwing the tattered pieces into the air.

Hastily retrieving another photo from the bed, she turned it to face her wife. "Erica. . ." Callie immediately ripped the only picture she had of the two of them together into pieces. ". . .abandoned me in the middle of the _fucking_ parking lot," she spat, her voice rising in volume. "No phone call. No letter. No email. Just gone - because I wasn't a good enough lesbian for her - because I couldn't be _kind of _a lesbian."

"Callie. Please. . ."

"I haven't talked to my sister in years." She threw of picture of Aria in the direction of her wife. "My mother disowned me, my daughter's father _died_," Callie cried harder as she continued to throw photo after photo at Arizona. "I'm an embarrassment to my sister, a. . .a disgrace to my mother, and Mark was never really mine, anyway. But you. . .I've been trying to figure out what the hell I ever did to you!" she shouted a she broke down completely.

Arizona's heart broke at the site of her wife crumbling before her very eyes. Moving toward her, she reached out to gather the broken woman into her arms. Callie jerked from side to side, fending off the gentle touch. "Don't touch me, Arizona. Don't fucking touch me," she cried angrily. "I don't want you here. Please! Please, just go!"

Anger rose in Arizona's eyes. "I'm not letting you kick me out of my own home again, Calliope! This is my house, too!"

Callie stood from the bed, defiantly straightening her posture. "Fine! Stay!" she screamed. "_I'll_ go! I can't even look at you, right now!"

"You're not leaving!" Arizona spat angrily.

Callie let out an exaggerated huff. "A you going to stop me?" she asked as she grabbed her purse from the foot of the bed, stepping toward the door.

"You're really starting to piss me off, Calliope! Wh-where are you going?"

"To get snack for Sofia's game," Callie informed as she quickly breezed out the bedroom door. Rushing down the stairs, she shouted behind her. "Are you still going to pick her up from school? Or should I?"

"Of course I'm still picking her up. Why wouldn't I?" Arizona shouted as she followed her wife to the front door. "We need to talk, Callie. We need to discuss. . ."

But she was cut off by the slamming of the door.

* * *

"You ready, superstar?" Callie asked Sofia from where they stood along the sidelines of the soccer field.

"You bet," Sofia replied as she started to run to join the rest of her team in the middle of the field.

"Wait," Arizona called as she came up behind her wife and daughter. "High five!"

Sofia grinned. This was their shtick. They did this for good luck before every game. It was something that Mark had always done with Sofia - not that she could remember - but it was something that Arizona had continued after his death.

Sofia smacked Arizona's palm before balling her fingers into a fist. "Dap!" she said with a smile as Arizona gently pounded her knuckles.

"Blow it up!" Arizona continued.

"Boom!" they cheered in unison before mimicking the sounds of an explosion with their mouths, spreading their fingers and shaking them in the air.

Callie couldn't help the slight smile that graced her face at the sight of their interaction. She loved how great Arizona was with their daughter. That fact, she couldn't deny. Watching as Sofia turned and took off across the field at full speed, she shook her head. "Don't be a ball hog!" she shouted to her oblivious daughter.

Stepping around Callie and heading toward the stands, Arizona paused momentarily, turning to look at her wife. "Will you be joining me on the bleachers as usual? Or is Sofia going to be one of those kids whose parents hate each other and sit on completely opposite ends of the field?"

Callie rolled her eyes at her wife's snide comment. She was determined not to alert Sofia to any problem between her mothers - at least not yet. Walking behind Arizona, they exchanged pleasantries with several of the other parents as they settled into their usual seats on the bleachers.

Where Callie would usually sit with her arm draped around Arizona's shoulders or Arizona with her own snaked around Callie's waist, they sat beside each other with an obvious chasm between their rigid bodies. They still cheered on their little girl and stood to clap and shout when she scored the winning goal, but it was obvious to anyone who knew them just a little bit that all was not right in their world.

* * *

Later that night, Callie exited Sofia's room, pulling the door shut after tucking Sofia in. Retreating into the bedroom she shared with her wife, she was surprised to see Arizona already seated on the bed, laptop opened in front of her, glasses resting on her nose. "I asked you not to be here," she replied, her voice now sounding more hurt than angry.

Arizona looked up from the computer screen, resentment evident in her piercing blue eyes. "You know what, you're way out of line," she hissed, tossing her still open laptop to the side. "You've done nothing but yell at me for the past two days. You've accused me of cheating on you, you threw me out of my own home, andyesterday, you were just a split second away from hitting me."

Arizona trailed off, shaking her head at the thought as unwanted moisture began to pool in her eyes. Blinking, a tear ran down her face behind her glasses. "You haven't even given me a chance to speak, and you certainly aren't going to kick me out of my own house again. You can think what you want, but I am not cheating on you, Calliope. I have been nothing but faithful to you for the past ten years. So, until you are ready to talk to me and tell me exactly what is happening - or what you _think _is happening - I'm not leaving."

Callie stared at her wife. The past two days had been the worst of her life. Perhaps even worse than the four days when Arizona was missing and presumed dead in the mountainous wilderness after the plane crash. No - maybe not that bad, but this was a very close second. Callie knew she needed to talk. She needed to tell her wife everything that she had seen and everything that she had heard, but she just couldn't bring herself to do so. A part of her still held out hope that if she didn't say anything - if she didn't speak - maybe none of this would be true.

Walking across the room, she grabbed her pajamas from underneath her pillow before moving toward the door. "I'm sleeping in the guest room."

* * *

**SURGEON55170****: **_How did your surgery go? I bet you rocked it._

**SURGEON42621****: **_It got cancelled. _

**SURGEON55170****: **_Oh, no! Please don't tell me your patient died. . ._

**SURGEON55170****: **_No, nothing like that.__I called in sick. _

**SURGEON42621****: **_Is everything okay?_

**SURGEON55170****: **_Not really. This week has just sucked for me. _

Arizona paused, her fingers hovering over the keys of her laptop. There was something about this conversation that was starting to seem very familiar.

**SURGEON55170****: **_Well, if it makes you feel any better, I've had a terrible week, as well._

**SURGEON42621****: **_That doesn't really make me feel better, but thanks for trying._

**SURGEON55170****: **_:(_ _When is your surgery rescheduled for?_

**SURGEON42621****: **_Don't know. Right now, I'm pretty sure I can never show my face in the hospital again. _

**SURGEON55170****: **_Really? Because from what I've heard, you sound like an unbelievably good doctor._

**SURGEON42621****: **_Please, say more! _

Arizona's heart thumped hard against her chest as those words flashed across the screen. Hesitating briefly, she swallowed hard as she typed her next response.

**SURGEON55170****: **_You. Are. Great!_

Arizona drummed her fingers against the keys, heart racing wildly as she waited for a response to her words.

**SURGEON55170: **_You still there?_

**SURGEON42621****:** _Uh. . .yeah. Sorry. Just. . .I got distracted. Anyway, I USED to walk tall around the hospital, but this week has been enough to cut me off at the knees. _

The pause in the reply Arizona received was enough to cause her to break out into a sweat. Quickly scanning back up over their conversation, meticulously scrutinizing every word, she gasped loudly into the silent room as the truth came crashing down around her. Furrowing her brow as her heart continued to pound, she sat motionless while the other party anxiously awaited some sort of profound and meaningful response that normally followed. Quickly running her fingers across the keys, Arizona hoped she wasn't wrong.

**SURGEON55170****: **_Well, maybe you should talk to your wife. Perhaps she could help._

**SURGEON42621****: **_Hah! I doubt it._

There was a brief pause before the other person responded again.

**SURGEON42621****: **_Wait. How did you know I have a wife?_

**SURGEON55170****: **_Just a hunch._

**SURGEON42621****: **_Well, that's an interesting hunch. Care to elaborate on what brought you to that conclusion?_

**SURGEON55170****: **_Well. . .for the sake of being honest, I think I should tell you that I know things about you. _

**SURGEON42621****: **_Umm. . .ok?_

**SURGEON55170****: **_I know that you're upset. I can feel your pain, and I think that you should know that despite what you think about your wife right now, she still loves you. And, when you're not upset, when you are over being upset, she will be there for you because when you hurt, she hurts, too._

There was another lull as Arizona worried her bottom lip between her teeth, the other's eyebrows rising in shock, realization hitting her with force.

**SURGEON42621****: **_Arizona?_

* * *

**AN4: **So. . .what do you think?


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Ready to Love Again

**Author:** HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Collaborator: **Funkyshaz57

**Pairing:** Callie/Arizona

**Rating: **M/NC-17 (For Future Chapters)

**Summary:** After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer: **All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **So, I am officially overwhelmed by the response to this story. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading and leaving such wonderful reviews/comments. You guys are the BEST!

**AN2: **Funkyshaz57 is _finally_ allowing me to give her the credit she deserves, so I've decided to call her my _co-collaborator _ because that is really what she has been for me for a very long time. She has worked really hard to assist me with all of the fics I've written. She does SO much more than Beta for me, and she deserves credit where credit is due. Thanks!

* * *

Arizona tapped her fingers against the keys, staring at the screen and wondering what to do next. Callie's behavior over the past few days had simply been uncalled for, but the things she had just said were true. She did love Callie - she could tell that she was hurting - but after all the things she had accused her of, she was now hurting, too.

**SURGEON42621: **_Seriously, Arizona. Is that you?_

There was a pause as Arizona thought maybe she should try to get Callie to talk to her more before revealing herself. Maybe then she would actually come out and tell her exactly what was going on. Letting out a sigh, she typed her response.

**SURGEON55170: ** _Yes, Calliope._

Arizona watched the cursor flash on the screen.

**SURGEON42621: **_So, you're online dating now, too? _

**SURGEON55170: **_What? Wait. . .you do NOT get to judge me for this. You did the same thing. And it's not online dating. It's a damn forum for surgeons._

**SURGEON42621: **_Well, that's why I joined, but you just told me the other day that you were "looking to spice up your life a bit"._

Arizona shook her head, huffing in exasperation. This woman was relentless.

**SURGEON55170: **_You know what, we're not doing this. We are sitting one room away from each other. This is stupid._

Callie threw her iPad to the side. She was shocked to say the least, but she should have known. Who else in the world could have delivered such a wonderful pep talk to her the day before? That had Arizona Robbins written all over it. Throwing the covers off of her legs, she stepped into a pair of fuzzy slippers and slowly walked toward the door. Shaking her head, she realized that the time had come. She was going to have to face reality and speak with her wife openly and honestly. Reluctantly opening the door, she peeked her head into the hallway and was greeted by the sight of her wife doing the same.

Arizona was the first to make a move, stepping out into the hallway as she pulled a sweatshirt over her head. "I'm really mad at you right now, but you do have to admit that this _is_ kind of funny," she said with a slight smile, attempting to perhaps lighten the mood enough to get her wife to talk to her.

"I'm not really laughing," Callie stated sarcastically. "The fact that I've been talking to SURGEON55170 for months and didn't know that it was my own wife just makes me sad."

Arizona considered her words. That was probably the most cordial and open thing Callie had said to her in days. "So let's talk. You and me. Are you willing to do that?" she asked, a hint of bitterness evident in her tone.

Callie only nodded her head slightly, an exaggerated sigh leaving her mouth. "You want some tea?"

"Sure," Arizona replied as she followed her down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Arizona took a seat at the island while Callie worked to fill the teapot with water and place it on the stove. "Well, you have just been a delight for the past couple of days, Calliope. What is it you'd like to talk about?"

Callie leaned her elbows onto the island, nervously diverting her wife's gaze as she picked at her fingernails. "I, well. . .I. . .Cristina. . ."

"Just say it, Callie."

Callie looked toward the ceiling, choosing her words. "I saw you with Dr. Minardi. Cristina said you left Joe's with her the other night."

Arizona's mouth fell open. Really? That was what this was all about? The fact that she walked out of a bar with another woman? Arizona shook her head. The rumors that spread around SGMW never ceased to amaze her. How could Cristina even start such a heinous rumor? She of all people should have been more empathetic to the seriousness of being cheated on. "What _exactly_ did you see, Calliope?" Arizona snapped.

Callie stepped back from the island, moving to sit on a stool across from her wife. Crossing her arms over her chest, she shook her head. "I saw you with her in the ER yesterday, then at the _5 Point Cafe_, and then again this morning at the coffee cart."

Arizona furrowed her brow, shifting her eyes as she tried to place all of those instances. Sighing, she decided to just tell the truth. "Cristina was right, I did leave the bar with her the other night. . ."

"So, you did lie to me!" Callie immediately spat, jumping up from her seat. "You _are_ having an affair!"

"You know what, Calliope! You are seriously pissing me off right now. If you want to hear this, then you are going to just sit your ass down and shut the hell up!" Arizona shouted defiantly.

Callie's eyes widened, surprised by Arizona's outburst. Hesitantly doing what she was told, she looked everywhere but at her wife.

"I had a couple glasses of wine and spoke with Cristina for a while. When she got up to use the restroom, Dr. Minardi - _Natalie_ - asked if she could buy me a drink," Arizona paused, recalling that evening. This was just so stupid. She couldn't even believe she was having this conversation. How could Callie not trust her after all these years? "I told her no, but she _was_ a little persistent, I will admit that," she shook her head, watching Callie's eyes light even further on fire. "She got a little _handsy_, I guess you could say, but again I told her no. Then, I got up to leave. She followed me out of the bar, but I swear to you that the last time I saw her, she was walking toward the parking lot as I left in a cab."

"She got a little _handsy_?" Callie asked incredulously. "And it didn't even occur to you to tell me about it?"

"You were asleep before your head even hit the pillow that night, and it's not like you've exactly been talking to me very civilly lately," Arizona countered. "It was fairly innocent, and I immediately put a stop to it."

Callie considered Arizona's words. They seemed logical enough, but she still needed more proof. She needed so much more, and she certainly would be making a point to talk to one Dr. Natalie Minardi about boundaries around her wife.

"I didn't even know she was a doctor. The fact that I saw her again in the ER yesterday was completely a coincidence. She approached me again, and that's when I told her that I'm married - _HAPPILY_, I might add - and that I have a beautiful eight-year-old daughter," Arizona stated, her tone angry and full of disdain.

Callie jumped slightly as the teapot began to whistle. Standing from her seat to pour the hot water into two mugs, she then placed the steaming liquid in front of Arizona, before quickly retreating back to her seat.

"She then officially introduced herself to me. She's a peds surgeon consulting with Derek on a kid with Lennox-Gastault Syndrome. She brought the boy and his parents here from Providence Portland Medical Center."

"But the cafe, Arizona. What were you doing there? That's _our_ place, and you were practically all over her pointing out things on the menu."

Arizona curiously considered her wife. "I don't even want to know where you were when all of that was happening," she countered. "My God, Calliope. Have you been stalking me?"

"Well, when my wife is being molested by someone other than me, I think I have _THAT_ right!"

"Oh for God's sake! You are more than ridiculous right now," Arizona spat, rolling her eyes.

"So, you _were_ on a date with her!"

"You don't even deserve a response to that, but if you _must_ know, Derek called me while we were on our way to get coffee. He asked if I would mind meeting him and a consulting surgeon for lunch to discuss a case. It just so happened that that surgeon was Natalie."

"So, what? You're on a first name basis with her, now?"

Arizona rolled her eyes once again. "You are infuriating, Calliope, and you're seriously behaving like a child! But yes, _Natalie_ and I are on a first name basis. We'll be working together for the next week or so. She reminds me of myself ten years ago," Arizona huffed. After the initial awkwardness with her, she had to admit that the young peds doctor seemed like a very promising surgeon. "And just so you know, when we were in the cafe before Derek arrived, I was showing her the best dishes on the menu and pointing out the ones that _my wife_ makes better than the chef himself."

Callie slowly dragged her eyes toward Arizona. Oh, fuck. "You. . .you were talking about me?" Callie asked, looking appropriately guilty.

"Yes," Arizona retorted. "If you would have just joined us instead of spying on me, you would have known that!"

Callie immediately dropped her wife's gaze. "Arizona, I. . ."

"You know what, don't Arizona me!" she yelled, her emotions getting the better of her as a tear streaked down her face. "This isn't okay, Callie. We've been together for ten years, and you're acting like this is just some fling that's run its course. The fact that you thought that I was actually cheating on you - that I would risk my family for some. . ._stranger_. . ." she paused momentarily, rage evident in her moistened blue eyes. "I just want you to know that I am hurt. I am hurt, and I am angry, because I thought that we were way past this kind of crap. You should know by now that I am committed to you."

"Arizona, I. . .I don't know what to say," Callie's voice was barely above a whisper. How could she have jumped to such terrible conclusions about the woman who had stood by her through more heartache and more pain than any human being should even have to endure?

"You believed someone else and jumped to conclusions, just like you always do. You were going to hit me, Calliope! I saw it in your eyes. My wife, the woman who I've loved for the past ten years was actually going to physically harm me."

"I. . .I wouldn't. I wasn't. . ." Callie stammered, tears welling in her eyes.

"YOU WERE!" Arizona shouted.

"Arizona, please. . .I. . ."

"I know that things have been hard lately. We're a little out of sync, but I never _ever_ thought you would think I would be capable of tearing apart our family," Arizona spat as she quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks, shaking her head. "I knew that we needed to reconnect. I could feel us faltering, so I was planning a. . ." she trailed off, angry at herself for being forced to reveal her secret. "Not that you deserve _anything_ from me right now, but I was planning a surprise. . .a trip. . .for _YOU_!"

Callie's eyes immediately shot up from the floor.

Taking in her wife's shocked reaction, Arizona continued. "Yes, Calliope! Me, the woman who is sleeping with random surgeons from Oregon was planning a surprise trip for you. Not for me. Not for some stranger off the street, but for YOU!"

"I. . .I. . ."

"No more, Callie. I don't want to hear anymore. Not tonight," Arizona stated ruefully as she stood from her seat and moved to exit the kitchen.

Callie looked toward the ceiling before wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She might as well just be honest, now. He wife was already appalled by her. What else did she have to lose? "I. . .I know about the trip," she stated toward her retreating wife, her voice a hushed whisper. "I kind of. . .I sort of. . .got into your email."

Arizona halted all movement. Turning slowly back toward her wife, she glared at her, daggers shooting from her darkened blue eyes. "Who the Hell are you?" she asked, incredulously. "I don't even know you anymore!"

Arizona turned back around, quickly walking toward the front door. Grabbing her keys and her purse from the stand next to the door, she turned back around. "When you find the Calliope Torres I fell in love with ten years ago, could you let me know? Because this person," Arizona pointed toward her wife, "is not her. I don't know who _this_ person is, but to be honest, I really hate her right now."

Callie could only hang her head, silent tears falling down her cheeks as the front door slammed.

* * *

_Arizona, please. . .can you please just answer your phone? Or at least send me a text. You've been gone for almost two hours, and I'm worried. __ I. . .I know that my. . .actions and words hurt you, and I'm sorry for hurting you. I love you and only want to find a way to move past this. I understand you hate me right now, and I deserve that, but please. . .I told myself a long time ago that I always need to remember all the amazing things that make you special to me. I let you down and I let myself down when I forgot that this week. Please forgive me. I can't imagine missing even one moment with you because I chose to be so stupid. I haven't said, and God knows I have not done the right things, and I hurt you. Please Arizona, just. . .I love you. Please. . ._

Arizona threw her phone into the passenger's seat. That was at least the sixth message Callie had left in the past two hours, not to mention the numerous text messages filling up her messaging app.

How had things gone so desperately wrong? She knew things were a little off, but how could she have been oblivious to the fact that they were _this_ bad. How could Callie still not trust her? Where had they gone so wrong?

As Arizona continued to drive aimlessly through the streets of Seattle, she thought back on the last few months of their marriage. They were busy. She knew that. Callie was out of town at a conference in Chicago for a week at the beginning of September, and then she was away speaking at a Pediatric Surgery Expo in LA a week later. Sofia started Fall Soccer and began third grade, she was continuing piano and tap lessons, but they had decided against the acting classes she wanted to take until the spring rolled around. Their days were full of surgeries, and their evenings were split between sports, dance, and music; multiplication tables, fractions, and decimals, the solar system and cursive writing. October flew by just like the falling leaves, and now it was the middle of November.

Drumming her thumbs against the steering wheel, Arizona strained to remember the last time she actually sat down and had a real adult conversation with her wife. Unfortunately, if her memory served her right, it was probably sometime in August and the last time they had made love was probably two months ago when she got back from her trip to LA.

Arizona sighed. She missed her wife so much, but the things she said were a lot to take in. She couldn't believe she had treated her so callously, with her reasons so loosely based on some rumor that Cristina Yang had started. She'd get Cristina for this. Somehow. Someday.

They had been together for ten years, suffered more together than any two people should ever have to bear, but yet for some reason, Callie found it necessary to treat her like yesterday's garbage. She needed time - time away - she'd just grab a few things from home and spend the night in her office and maybe get a hotel the following day. This wasn't really what she wanted, but she was mad. Just so, so mad, and she needed time to process. Callie had to give her time to process this.

Pulling back into their driveway, she noted that a dim light still shone through the windows of the living room. Navigating their _BMW X5 _back into the garage, she begrudgingly pulled herself from the car before reentering the house.

Trudging through the door, the sight that greeted her caused her heart to plummet into her stomach, causing the hurt and irritation she was feeling to wane. Callie sat on the couch more dejected than she had ever seen her in her life, surrounded by piles of used tissues as she continued to dab at the wetness still streaming down her cheeks.

"Callie. . ."

"You. . .you're beautiful, Arizona. You're beautiful and sexy a-and confident. I used to feel the same way about myself, but then. . .George and Erica. . ." Callie stammered through her tears as Arizona stood stock-still beside the couch.

"Seriously, Callie? How many times do I have to tell you or _prove_ to you that I'm not them?"

"But then I met you," Callie interrupted, flinching slightly at her wife's words. ". . .and a day didn't go by where you didn't make me feel wanted or-or desired. All you ever needed to do was just look at me, and I felt like. . .like the most beautiful woman in the world."

Arizona's shoulders slumped as she stepped closer to her wife. "I don't feel that way anymore, Arizona. I haven't for months, a-and maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm too affected by my own demons, because I know. . .I'm very aware that being desired or feeling wanted comes a great deal from within. It just feels so good when you are accepted and admired by people. Really, though, I just want to be found desirable by _you_."

Arizona watched silently as Callie broke into another torrent of tears. "I-I adore you, Calliope," she finally spoke, tentatively reaching out her hand to touch her shoulder. "You are still the sexiest woman I've ever seen. We've been together for ten years, and sometimes it takes everything I have not to be touching you, or caressing you, or cuddling with you."

"You're just saying that," Callie whispered through her tears. "You don't have to do that."

"I'm not," Arizona replied softly.

"I just turned forty, Arizona," Callie stated adamantly. "There's nothing sexy about that."

"I beg to differ," Arizona countered as she rounded the couch to sit next to her wife. "And I'm forty-two. What exactly does that say about me?"

Callie shook her head. "I see the way people look at you, Arizona. Women, men - _everyone_. And when I saw you with Natalie, it just brought up all the insecurities I had before. The humiliation and-and the doubt. . .a-and she's just so _gorgeous. . ._and then the things Cristina said. . ._"_

"Cristina was _wrong_, Callie. So, _so_ wrong. I don't know what I have to say to you to get you to believe me," Arizona replied, exasperation climbing back into her voice.

Callie shook her head, turning to look at her wife for the first time. "I. . .I do believe you, Arizona. I really do," she paused, as the tears once again began to fall. "It's just that Natalie clearly likes you. She hit on you twice, and she's tall. . .and, and. . ."

"You're tall and. . ."

". . .thin. She's confident and feminine, a-and her boobs are out to here. . ." Callie stopped, shaking her head. "Yeah, maybe I'm tall and maybe I was young once, but I never was any of those other things. I've always been curvy, and my entire body has started to sag. I mean I wouldn't blame you if. . ."

"Calliope Torres, just stop right there," Arizona warned. "Where is all of this coming from?"

Callie looked down at the tissues in her hand. "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, Arizona, but I'm afraid. I've always been afraid that something will happen. . .that I'll do something wrong - and you'll leave. We don't spend time together anymore. We haven't made love in two months! Hell, we were chatting online with each other when we should have just made the time to be together."

"I'm not going anywhere," Arizona stated earnestly. "And you're right, we haven't made our relationship a priority, lately. But, you can't push me away and sneak around and whatever the Hell else you've been doing, every time you have a moment of insecurity," she paused, reaching a hand out to wrap Callie's hair behind her ear. "You have to talk to me, sweetie, and you can't be afraid all the time. Obsessing and internalizing your feelings certainly won't make things better. We all have insecurities, Calliope. I think sometimes you tend to forget that I only have one leg," Arizona said with a sly smirk.

A bark of laughter left Callie's chest as she wiped her nose with a tissue. "It's just a part of who you are now, Arizona. And I'm _so_ in love with who you are."

Arizona watched as her wife's features began to turn less despondent. "Calliope you're so, _so_ beautiful. How can you not see that I am_ so_ in love with who you are, too?" she insisted as she reached out to rest her hand on Callie's thigh. "People stand next to you and immediately feel bad about themselves. . ."

Callie smiled slightly, remembering those exact words she had spoken to Arizona so many years ago. "Arizona. . ."

"It's a public service that you're a little older, now. It is a _kindness_ to every other woman in the world that you are just one _tiny_ bit less beautiful. . ."

Callie regarded her wife skeptically, a slight smile gracing her lips. "I'm probably not getting off the hook that easily, am I?"

"Not even close," Arizona replied as she stood from her seat. "We clearly have some issues here, Callie. You don't trust me, and you need to learn to control your temper, but at the same time, we _both_ need to work harder to put our relationship first."

"I'm _so_ sorry, Arizona. I've been such a bitch to you."

"Agreed," Arizona replied with a sigh. "But that's only part of the problem. If we _really_ want to stay married, Calliope, we have some work to do."

Callie regarded her remorsefully, surprised by her words, though if she was honest with herself, she hadn't made it very obvious lately that she intended to continue their marriage. "Of course I want to stay married, Arizona," she replied without question. "D-do you?"

Arizona tilted her head to the side, seriously pondering that question. Letting out a sigh, she sat back down next to her wife, taking her hands into hers. "I want nothing more," she replied with a nod of her head.

Callie let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. "I've been so stupid and-and so wrong. Tell me what to do, Arizona. Whatever will make you happy and make you trust me again, I'll do it," she rambled sincerely, the honesty evident in her soulful brown eyes.

"Definitely no more checking my email."

"Consider that already done," Callie stated, holding up her palms in defeat. "That made me puke, anyway. Totally not worth it."

"When I tell you that I love you and that I am committed to _this_," Arizona motioned between the two of them, "you have to believe me. It still hurts so much that you thought I would just throw away everything we've built together."

"Can I just plead insanity?" Callie asked humbly.

"No you can't," Arizona replied sternly. "And it's not funny. It's really terrible."

Callie hung her head dejectedly. Looking back up after a moment, she stared into Arizona's eyes. "You're right. I. . .I'm just. . .sorry. I'm just so happy you don't want to kick me to the curb."

"Come here," Arizona said, pulling her wife into her arms. "I love you, Callie I'm hurt, and I'm still angry, but nothing changes the fact that I still love you."

Callie held onto her wife as if her life depended on it and in some ways, it really did. "I love you, too."

Pulling back, they watched each other for a quiet moment. "If you ever make me feel like I did the other night, Calliope," Arizona began, fresh tears welling in her eyes. ". . .if I _ever_ think for one second that you are going to physically harm me again, I won't be as forgiving. That was scary. _You_ were scary, and I never want to feel like that again. _Ever_."

Callie shook her head as her own eyes filled with moisture. "I'll never be able to forgive myself for that," she said sadly. "What I did was wrong, and it wounded you, even if I didn't do anything physically. I swear to you, Arizona. That will _never_ happen again."

Arizona watched as the tears once again began to flow down Callie's face. God she hated it when she cried. Wiping her own face, she once again took Callie into her arms. "What the Hell am I going to do with you, Calliope Torres?" she asked into the side of her wife's neck.

Callie cried softly into Arizona's shoulder. Laying a wet kiss under her ear, she whispered, "Just love me, and please, _please_ don't ever leave."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Arizona propelled her wheelchair from the en suite bathroom of the master bedroom toward the bed. Exhaustedly transferring herself onto the edge of the mattress, she then settled herself comfortably under the plush duvet. Reaching for her glasses and laptop, she hesitated. She and Callie needed to limit the time they spent using electronic devices, and they might as well start now. Reaching to turn off the bedside lamp instead, she looked up toward the door when she heard a tentative knock.

"Yes?" she called when no one immediately appeared.

Callie barely peeked her head inside, apprehension clear on her face. "I. . .umm. . .I just checked on Sofia. She was having some nightmare about wearing her tap shoes to her soccer game."

Arizona chuckled slightly at the thought. "You can come in, Callie. You don't have to stand outside the door."

Callie sighed as she entered, nervously wringing her hands as she looked around the room. "Well, I just wanted to tell you goodnight, and umm. . .I was wondering if. . .would you mind if I. . ."

Arizona watched her, waiting for her to finish her sentence. This awkwardness felt so unnatural. They had never been like this. Not even in the very beginning of their relationship.

Callie cleared her throat, looking up toward the ceiling in an attempt to collect herself. Finally meeting Arizona's gaze, she tried again. "I was wondering if you'd mind if I slept in here, tonight."

Arizona watched as Callie once again dropped her gaze, staring intently at the pattern of their comforter. She wanted to say no. She was still just so mad, but deciding that if they were truly going to heal then they needed to start somewhere, she relented. "No," she sighed. "I don't mind. You can stay."

Callie looked up from the bed, a relieved smile lighting her face. Slowly walking to her side of the mattress, she uncomfortably settled her body underneath the covers to lie on her back. Arizona watched as she lay there motionless before reaching out to turn off the lamp.

For several awkward moments, both women lay on their backs staring up at the ceiling, a foot wide demilitarized zone down the middle of the bed separating one from the other. Deciding that she needed to make the first move, Callie softly spoke. "Arizona, I know that you're still mad, and I don't blame you. You have every right to still be pissed a-and hurt, and I know that I've brought all of this onto myself, but. . ." she paused, swallowing the lump that had begun to form in her throat. "But, I was wondering if you would just. . .hold me for a while."

Arizona didn't say a word. The tone of Callie's voice was just so sincere, so heartfelt and so genuine. Deciding that her actions would speak louder than her words, she rolled onto her side, gathering the Latina into her arms. As they shifted and moved, Arizona's leg tangled together with Callie's to perfection. Pressing her front into the warmth of her wife's back, Arizona's arm possessively wrapped around Callie's waist, their bodies seemingly melting into one. As she nuzzled her nose into the nape of Callie's neck, Arizona was amazed at how, even though everything - even in the face of so much hurt, and anger, and betrayal - their bodies still fit together like the pieces of a makeshift puzzle.

* * *

The following day, Callie and Arizona walked hand-in-hand into Seattle Grace Mercy West. The previous night had certainly taken its toll on both of them, but this entire series of events had also brought to the forefront the fact that they desperately needed to take the time to communicate with each other and that the past few days never should have happened - things never should have been allowed to escalate that far. They should never have gotten to the point in their relationship where it was just okay for such hurtful and malicious accusations to be flung around so carelessly. Both women still felt very emotional and more than a little exposed, but in order to carry on, they needed to start somewhere - they needed to do what came naturally.

Recently, their careers and Sofia's extracurricular activities had taken precedence over the health and well-being of their marriage, but after everything they had recently been through, they were both determined to make things right again. Callie was just so thankful to God or whoever was out there that her wife was willing to forgive her. She really did have the most _awesome _wife in the world. She knew that Arizona was still deeply wounded and more than a little offended, but she also knew that Arizona loved her and would work to do everything in her power to make their marriage as strong as it used to be.

"You have anything pressing this morning?" Arizona asked as she threw her purse and jacket into her locker.

"No, I don't think so, but I'll have to check the board since I called off yesterday," Callie said sheepishly, pulling her scrub pants up and taking a seat on the bench to tie her PUMAs. "Why?"

"We didn't have time for coffee at home this morning, so do you want to grab a cup now if you can?" Arizona asked as she pulled her scrub top down over her torso.

Callie smiled. If she had any previous doubts before, that small gesture was more than enough to prove to her that Arizona really was committed to this - that she really was committed to the rebuilding of their marriage.

"Sounds great," Callie replied eagerly. She was determined to make things right with her wife and spending just a few minutes with her, even if it was in the crowded hospital cafeteria sounded like a lovely way to kick start the day.

Pulling her lab coat on over her scrub top, Callie smiled when Arizona reached for her hand, a small but very meaningful sign of affection that made Callie's heart skip a beat. Squeezing her wife's hand, Arizona sighed. It was the little things like this that they had recently stopped doing. Holding hands, taking the time to catch up with each other over lunch or a cup of coffee - she missed these small things just as much as the big things. Somewhere along the way, they had lost touch with their usual way of doing things, unfortunately and unknowingly sending their relationship careening out of control and straight over the side of a cliff.

Arizona was still hurt, and she was sure that she would be for a while. She was more than aware that Callie could be overly emotional and jealous at times, often overreacting to the slightest stimuli. She also knew that Callie harbored some very negative thoughts about her body, but she thought that she had always done more than enough to show Callie how beautiful she really was in order to effectively counter those insecurities. The past couple days had really opened her eyes, though, to just how deeply seeded Callie's doubts about herself really were. That didn't however, make it acceptable for her to toss around such horrid allegations or to treat her so disrespectfully.

Both women slept well the previous night, intimately curled up into each other's arms. They fit together so perfectly that it was almost as if nothing had happened, but Arizona was still wary and felt that she had every right to be. She knew that she needed to find a way to move past all of this, though. She needed to fix what was broken, because that was just who she was and what she did. Arizona Robbins liked to fix things, and this - their life together - certainly deserved her time and energy. She wasn't someone who failed, and she would be damned if she let the woman she loved slip away from her because they both had become too complacent to make the necessary changes and do something about it.

Entering the cafeteria, Arizona headed straight toward an empty table while Callie went to the counter to order their drinks. Humming to herself as she waited for her wife to return, she spotted Natalie walking in her direction. Her immediate urge was to walk away in the opposite direction, not because she didn't like the younger surgeon, but because the wounds she and Callie were trying to heal were so fresh and so new.

"Morning, Dr. Robbins," Natalie greeted. "Mind if I join you? I just came off an all-nighter and need a pick me up to keep me awake until I get home."

Arizona didn't immediately respond, taking the time to consider the implications of this woman joining her and her wife for coffee. Deciding that Callie would eventually have to just put on her big girl panties and show some faith in her and in their marriage, she nodded her head. "Of course," she replied. "Actually, there's someone I'd like you to meet."

A moment later, Callie headed toward the table Arizona was currently sitting at, but halted in her stride when she noticed that she had company. Stumbling a little, she cursed as the steaming hot coffee she was holding splashed onto the back of her hand. Looking over at the table, she saw the two talking together and couldn't help the immediate feelings of hatred and bitterness that sprung forth. Arizona had explained everything to her in great detail, and she believed and trusted her wife, she really did, but the jealousy she immediately felt was obviously still unresolved. Even though she wanted to just turn and run, she cleared her throat, knowing that she needed to get over it and to get over herself. She needed to show Arizona that she wasn't going to act like an immature brat every single time she talked with someone other than herself.

Plastering a smile on her face, she put one foot in front of the other. "Hey," she said as she stepped up to the table. "Here you go," she continued as she set the cup of hot liquid in front of her wife before taking the seat beside her, placing herself directly across from Natalie.

"Thank you, Calliope," Arizona said, accepting the beverage with a smile as she placed her hand over top of Callie's in an effort to offer a bit of comfort in a situation she knew was more than a little awkward. Quickly glancing between the two women, Arizona decided she would need to be the one to break the silence. "Dr. Minardi, this is my wife and Seattle Grace's kick ass orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Callie Torres," Arizona smiled, taking a sip from her cup. "Callie, this is Dr. Natalie Minardi."

Both women regarded each other skeptically, neither saying a word. "Umm, Natalie," Callie begrudgingly began. "Arizona says that you're here from Portland. I almost took a job in Portland, once - a _long_ time ago."

Arizona and Callie chuckled slightly at the memory of how apprehensive Callie had been about asking Chief Webber for her job back at the newly merged Seattle Grace Mercy West. They also fondly recalled that that was the exact time they had placed a label on their relationship - the first time they said they were girlfriends.

"Oh, really?" Natalie replied nervously. "I've been there for a couple years now."

Callie nodded, unsure of what more to say. Arizona took another sip from her cup before once again speaking up. "Callie's operating on a kid with Ewing's sarcomathis week. Have you ever seen any cases of that, Natalie?"

"Umm, I don't think that I have," she replied.

"Maybe you could observe," Arizona offered. Noting the glare that Callie shot her way, she continued. "My wife is a super star with a scalpel. You'd be privileged to be present in her OR. What do you think, babe?"

Callie's legs anxiously bounced underneath the table. Was Arizona taunting her? Shaking her head, she realized she probably deserved every bit of it if that was indeed what she was doing. "S-sounds good," she relented. "I'm going to try to reschedule it for later today. I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Dr. Torres. I would be honored."

Glancing around the cafeteria, Arizona noticed Cristina Yang enter with Meredith Grey at her side. "You good here?" she asked of the two women seated at her table. "I'll be right back."

"What? Wait! Arizona." But Callie was too late, Arizona had already stood and walked away.

Callie looked around the room before her fiery eyes landed back on the doctor sitting in front of her. "Umm. . .she. . .she told you, didn't she?" Natalie asked uneasily, noting the fierce glare in the orthopedic surgeon's eyes.

Realizing that for every ounce of discomfort she felt in the face of this situation, the other woman felt it ten times more, Callie decided to play coy. "Told me what?" she asked, smirking as she took a drink from her cup.

Natalie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Opening her mouth several times with no words coming out, she swallowed harshly as Callie regarded her sternly. "I-in my d-defense," she stammered. "I-I didn't know she was married. I didn't know, at least not right away."

"And?" Callie asked, pushing her sleeves up to her elbows.

Natalie immediately stood from her seat, her eyes fearfully darting from side to side. "A-and. . .I. . .I shouldn't have hit on her the second time."

Callie laughed, regarding the younger surgeon's fearful stance. "Sit down, Dr. Minardi," Callie said with a chuckle. "You look like you're about to flee for your life. I'm not going to hurt you."

Natalie skeptically considered the other surgeon before slowly slithering back down into her chair.

Callie watched as she nervously fiddled with the lid to her styrofoam cup, glad she wasn't the only person regretful for the way this entire situation came to be. "Well, I'm certainly not thrilled about the idea of some other woman groping my wife, but I can understand why you did it," Callie began, the surprise Natalie felt at her words evident on her face. "My wife is _hot - really hot,_" she continued. "But do you know what else she is?"

Natalie shook her head.

"She is also _the_ most fiercely loyal person you will ever have the privilege of knowing. She is honest and she is kind, and she is honorable. She makes people smile just by walking into the room," Callie paused, a wistful grin creeping onto her face. "She's not just another pretty face, Dr. Minardi. She's my. . ._everything_. It doesn't get _any _better than Arizona Robbins, and you'll do well to remember that. Are we clear?"

"Y-yes, Dr. Torres," Natalie nodded emphatically. "I-I. . .thank you."

"You despicable crap dog!"

Callie and Natalie - and everyone else in the cafeteria for that matter - all turned toward the sound of the outburst.

"You are a miserable, miserable person," Arizona shouted in Cristina's face. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

Callie's eyes went wide when she realized who was on the receiving end of her wife's tirade. "Excuse me," she said as she quickly excused herself from the table. "Arizona!" she called, hastily crossing the room toward where her former roommate was receiving a verbal lashing from her irate wife. "Sorry, Cristina. We've had a horrible. . ."

"No, Callie. Don't apologize to her!" Arizona spat. "She of all people should realize the implications and-and consequences of what that kind of rumor can cause."

"Dr. Robbins, I. . ."

"Who do you think you are, Cristina?" Arizona shouted. "What exactly did you hope to accomplish by trying to ruin my marriage?"

Callie reached out for her wife's hand. "Arizona, sweetie. . ."

Arizona stepped back, her anger waning. "You should know by now that it's not a good idea to piss me off," she stated, her voice slightly less furious. "Callie has been my wife for eight years, Cristina. She's not some fling and not some one night stand. I don't like being talked about, and I like you hurting her even less."

Arizona squeezed Callie's hand as she began to walk away. Looking back over her shoulder, she sent Cristina a warning glare. "This better _never_ happen again."

* * *

Hours later, Arizona stood scrubbing out after her final surgery of the day when Cristina came barging through the door.

"It hurts like Hell," she said in a rush. "There's nothing in the world as bad as being betrayed by someone who promised to love you forever."

Arizona turned, staring at her coldly as she dried her hands on a blue surgical towel.

"I was worried, and I was trying to protect her, and I'm sorry. I-I didn't go about it the right way, and I'm just. . . sorry."

Arizona stepped around the younger surgeon, she really had nothing left to say. Grabbing the door knob, she turned back around. "Thank you for being Callie's friend, Cristina. Thank you for trying to protect her, but I can handle it from here," she said firmly before throwing open the door and retreating down the hallway.

* * *

"B flat, Sofia," Callie called, looking up from the _People _magazine she was reading as Sofia sat at their baby grand practicing her new piece on the piano.

A moment later, Arizona entered the family room, clapping her hands three times in order to get their attention. "Time for bed, Sofia."

"But, it's Friday and Thanksgiving break started today," she whined. "You always let me stay up late on during break."

"Not tonight," Arizona informed, grabbing the little girl's hand and tugging her from the piano bench. After placing a loving kiss on her cheek, she gently stroked her hair. "Now go tell your mom goodnight and then get up the stairs."

Sofia huffed, ready to protest. Noting Arizona's stern look, she relented. "Yes, momma." Stepping closer to the couch, she bent down to embrace Callie. "Goodnight, mom."

"'Night, big girl," Callie replied, questioningly glancing toward her wife. "Love you."

As Sofia disappeared up the stairs, Arizona threw herself down onto the couch next to her wife with an exaggerated sigh. Taking the magazine from her hands, she tossed it onto the coffee table in front of them. "What are you doing?" Callie asked in confusion.

"New rule," Arizona cheerfully replied, leaning further into her wife and lacing her arms around her waist. "We spend _at least _thirty minutes alone together every evening with no cellphones, no magazines, no iPads or laptops."

Callie smiled. "You are aware that you just kicked our daughter out of a room she was in first, right?"

Arizona playfully rolled her eyes. "She'll survive," she stated, kissing her wife on the cheek. "She has more stimuli in her bedroom than any other room in this house. It's important to give her our love and attention, Callie, but it's just as important to maintain a healthy marriage. Don't you think?"

Callie nodded as she wrapped her arm around Arizona's body, settling further into their mutual embrace. "We've really just been running on autopilot lately, haven't we?" she mused.

"Yes," Arizona sighed. "But, we're fixing that _right now._"

They cuddled in companionable silence for several long moments, content to be in each other's arms. Kissing the top of her wife's head, Callie spoke. "I love you, Arizona. I'm so unbelievably sorry I hurt you."

"I know you are," Arizona replied into her wife's chest.

Callie sighed, pulling away to look into her eyes. "You are my best friend," she began, shaking her head as happy tears collected in her eyes. "You're my shoulder to lean on, the one person I know I can count on, you're the love of my life. . .you're my _everything_," Callie stated, repeating the words she had spoken to Natalie earlier that day.

Arizona watched, silently allowing Callie the time she needed. "I love you and every time I see you, I just want to hold you in my arms and never let go because you're the person that fills all those little dark places in my heart. When I'm near you I'm a better me, and when you're away I'm not even half the person I want to be. Arizona, I. . .I just. . ."

Arizona took Callie's face into her hands, brushing at her tears with her thumbs. "I know, Calliope. I know," she soothed. "Because I fall in love with you again every time I look into your beautiful eyes, and I want to be the person who makes you feel special, always."

Falling back into each other's arms, they held each other tightly for several long moments, before Arizona stood, pulling Callie up along with her. "Come on," she said as she moved toward the stairs. "I'm exhausted and after all these years, I can't sleep without you next to me."

* * *

**AN3: **Thanks so much for having faith in me and sticking with me through the tough parts. Happier times appear to be on the way! Can't wait for Thursday!


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Ready to Love Again

**Author: **HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Collaborator:** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing:** Callie/Arizona

**Rating: M/NC-17 **(For Future Chapters)

**Summary:** After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer: **All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **A big thanks to Funkyshaz57 for assisting me with this chapter and a huge thank you to everyone for continuing to read. I'm super excited that you are enjoying this story so much! I look forward to hearing what you think about this chapter! Enjoy!

* * *

Arizona sank into the oversized pillows of the sofa, sipping from her glass of chilled Moscato. Glancing out the large windows of the French Doors leading to their deck, she watched as Callie engaged in an animated conversation with her father. Sofia was being put to bed by her mother, and she relished the few minutes she had alone to sit and think. Though lately, it seemed that thinking was all she did. Her mind felt heavy and weighed down with the past week's events.

Just as she and Callie were trying to forge ahead in the healing process in an attempt to move past the accusations and feelings of betrayal they both had experienced, her parents arrived. Their help with Sofia was always welcome and nothing made Arizona happier than seeing her little girl light up when Pop-Pop took her into the yard to do morning or evening PT or when Grandma read her a bedtime story, but there also was a downside to their visit. Barbara could read Arizona like a book, and no matter how much she tried to hide how she was feeling, it only took one look from her mother for Arizona to reveal her deepest feelings.

"She's out like a light." Barbara Robbins' voice interrupted Arizona's silent reverie.

"Thanks mom," Arizona said as she set her wine glass down on the coffee table in front of her. "She loves it when you put her to bed," she continued as she passed a glass of wine to her mother who immediately sat down beside her.

"Callie and your father catching up?" Barbara asked, gesturing toward the pair sitting outside on the chaise lounges.

Sighing heavily, Arizona only nodded.

"Arizona dear, are you going to tell me what's going on, or am I going to have to sit here all night not so subtly dropping hints?"

Arizona didn't even bother to hide her surprise. She knew her mother had picked up on something. There had been pointed looks and odd comments dropped, but so far, Arizona had avoided any form of confrontation. Now though, she was stuck. While normally discussing her marriage even with her mother was something she preferred not to do, she really could use some advice.

"It's Callie and me. _We_. . .I. . .things have been. . ._difficult_ lately," Arizona vaguely explained as she grabbed the bottle of wine sitting on the coffee table to refill her now empty glass.

Barbara knowingly studied her daughter. It didn't take a genius to figure out something wasn't right in the Robbins-Torres household - it wasn't difficult to notice the _chill_ that seemed to be going on between the two women. There were signs in every move they made - Arizona's inability to look her mother in the eye when they spoke only the first on the list. From Arizona's rigid posture to the lack of ease with which Callie generally interacted with her and Daniel, it was obvious that _something_ was going on.

Barbara had detected the uncomfortableness between the two the moment she arrived in their home. Her normally bubbly and outgoing daughter was replaced by a contemplative woman mainly focused on her own introspection while her generally warm and jovial daughter-in-law now seemed awkward and despondent.

"You're going to have to give me more than that, darling. I may know that something isn't right, but unless you give me a little more information, I'm not going to be able to help."

Arizona gazed outside at her wife, smiling ruefully when she heard a round of her infectious laughter. Not meeting her mother's eyes, she spoke. "Last week, Callie accused me of having an affair. She was so sure of herself that she threw me out of my own house."

Barbara followed Arizona's eyes as she sat speechless on the sofa beside her. "Well, _are_ you having an affair, Arizona?" she asked after a moment's hesitation.

Arizona's head immediately snapped around toward her, a stern look in her eyes. "Of course not, mother," she huffed incredulously. Seriously? How could her mother think that of her?

"Well, Callie must have had some reason to believe that you were," Barbara countered. "Things like that don't just come out of nowhere."

Arizona sat silently, sipping from her glass and pondering her mother's words. Letting out an exaggerated sigh, she rolled her eyes. "There may have been a very, very minor. . .little bit of a thing that happened in a bar last week," Arizona explained before looking away from her mom.

"Arizona Robbins!" Barbara instantly scolded.

"What?" Arizona nearly shouted. "It was nothing, mom. It meant nothing to me. It was just a misunderstanding that got compounded by even more misunderstandings and false impressions until it spiraled out of control."

"Did you not talk to her about whatever this _misunderstanding _was?"

Arizona sighed. Why did she feel like her mother was blaming her for this? She wanted her mother's advice, but certainly could do without the firing squad. "No. I didn't," she replied with a shake of her head. "Sofia is involved in everything imaginable, so we've been busy lately. And besides, I didn't feel that _I_ had done anything wrong, so I didn't mention it. I should have, I know that now, because Callie hearing it from a colleague at work clearly was _not_ the best way for her to find out."

"You and I have had a similar conversation before, Arizona," Barbara pointed out. "We've discussed how terrible you and Callie are at communication. I would have thought that you had remedied that by now."

Arizona pursed her lips blowing out a stream of air. "We have. Well, kind of. We've just been a little out of whack recently. I told you that. That's why I asked you and dad to watch Sofia while we go away together."

Barbara studied her daughter's every feature. It was clear that Arizona realized the err in what she had done, the remorse was evident in her bright blue eyes. "Sounds to me like you've gotten a little lazy," she said as she took a sip from her glass. "It takes work to have a good marriage, Arizona. You know that."

The younger woman shook her head. "I didn't think our marriage was _bad_," she argued. "I mean. . .it's not. It's just. . ." she trailed off not really wanting to continue this conversation. "I should have told her, you're right. And I'm sorry it happened, but she should trust me by now."

Barbara looked out the windows toward her husband and daughter-in-law as she spoke. "Do you love your wife, Arizona?"

"Of course I love her, mom," she immediately replied, clearly shocked by her mother's question. "I love Calliope more than anything. My love for her has never been in question," Arizona replied, the adoration she felt clear in her tone.

Barbara nodded her head. She already knew the answer to her own question, but wanted to hear it from Arizona in her own words and thought that perhaps her daughter needed to hear it for herself. "When you were in tenth grade, your father and I went through a rough patch," Barbara offered. "We became complacent in our relationship. You and Timothy were involved in every club, sport, and activity known to man, and that was what we focused all of our attention on. It's the right thing to do to love and support your children, but you have to nourish your relationship, too. Marriage is like a car," Barbara paused, regarding Arizona's confused look. Chuckling softly, she took her daughter's hands into her own. "Just like a car needs regular oil changes, the tires rotated, and whatever else, marriages sometimes need a tune up, as well."

"Are you calling my marriage a beat up old Chevy?" Arizona grumbled.

"You know what I mean, Arizona," Barbara chastised. "If you don't give your marriage the attention it needs, it fails. It's just as simple as that."

Arizona took a sip from her glass. She knew her mother was right. It just hurt and was even a little mind boggling for her to accept that their marriage had come to this. She knew this kind of thing happened to other people. She knew that other people actually did stray in their relationships, but that wasn't really the case with them. They really had just gotten lazy. "You're right," she finally conceded with a sigh. "Callie and I do need a tune up."

Barbara leaned forward to embrace her daughter. "Things will be fine, sweetheart," she said as she pulled away. "You and Callie have one of the strongest and _truest_ marriages I've seen in my sixty-five years on this earth. You both just have to remember that marriage is a journey, and it's constantly changing. There are times of difficulty and times of complete calm. It's a beautiful thing, and its treasures are found all along the way."

"Thank you, mom," Arizona replied after considering her mother's advice. Sitting back, she smiled across the sofa at her, feeling much better than she had in days. While the past week still left a bitter taste in her mouth, her mother was right about everything she said. In retrospect, she realized she could have handled things differently - she _should_ have handled things better. She should have talked to Callie about the incident with Natalie at Joe's, but there was no way for her to go back and change that now. The only thing remaining in her power to do was to move forward and hope that both she and Callie had learned from their mistakes.

Barbara again studied her daughter. While she firmly believed the words of advice she had just spoken, she also knew that her daughter was still feeling hurt. She didn't mean to sound chastising or callous toward her emotions, but she knew that Arizona could be stubborn to a fault. Her daughter, not unlike Daniel, had a difficult time accepting failure, and if Barbara could read her like she thought she could, she knew that Arizona was most likely blaming herself for everything that had happened.

"You know that I don't think you could, nor would ever hurt Calliope like that, don't you?" Barbara suddenly asked, breaking the companionable silence. She wasn't just there to feed her daughter advice and the inevitable truths about marriage, but to support her when she was upset, as well. After all, that was her job as a mother. Even if Arizona had done wrong, she would still support her no matter what.

"I know," Arizona replied simply.

"Good," she stated, relieved that her words had not been taken the wrong way. "Because while I think you really struck gold when you married Callie, I want you to know that I think she's pretty damn lucky, too."

"Mom, really. . .there's no need to. . ." Arizona began, shaking her head at the compliments her mother was supplying.

"No, there actually is," Barbara countered. "You need to realize that I know you would never hurt Callie like that. You are far too loyal and honorable to do something like having an affair. I love Callie, but _you_ are my daughter. Maybe that makes me biased, and maybe that's wrong, but she's very lucky to have someone like you. You're beautiful and strong. Loyal and protective, and I don't blame you for being hurt over what she accused you of. I'm really sorry you had to experience that."

Arizona looked to the ceiling in an attempt to fend off the tears she felt spring to her eyes. "Th-thank you. That means a lot," she admitted, smiling brightly at her mother. While she knew that some of the responsibility for the past week rested on her shoulders, it was nice for someone to tell her that it was alright for her to feel hurt and that her feelings were validated and not unwarranted.

"Anytime, sweetheart. I think that sometimes you forget that I'm your mother and that when you're upset, I am too. A mother doesn't like seeing her daughter in pain," Barbara pointed out. "But, Callie loves you, just like you love her, and because of that, I know that the two of you are going to be okay."

* * *

A half hour later, Callie entered the bedroom wrapped in a fluffy robe, a towel in her hand drying her hair. Halting in the middle of the room when she saw her wife, she spoke. "Umm, Arizona? What are you doing?" she asked, dropping her arms to her sides.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Calliope?" she asked offhandedly as she folded a pair of jeans and placed them into her suitcase.

"Well, it looks like you're packing. Are-are you leaving?" she asked, her voice wavering as her eyes immediately began to tear.

Arizona looked up from her task, confused by the tremor in her wife's voice. Finally comprehending how this must look, she smiled. "I _am_ leaving, but I assumed you'd be joining me," she replied with a sly grin.

Callie sat down on the edge of the bed, watching as her wife continued to place items into her bag. After they had initially discussed her indiscretion of logging in to her wife's email, they hadn't spoken any further about the trip to NYC that Arizona had planned. "Oh. I-I guess I just assumed we wouldn't still be going," she stated, looking down and shyly fiddling with a loose thread on the towel in her hand.

Arizona stopped her work, closing the top of the suitcase. Taking a seat next to her wife, she took Callie's chin into her hand, forcing her to meet her eyes. "I originally questioned if we should still go," she admitted. "But then I realized that everything that happened last week is exactly why we _do_ need to go - why I planned this trip for us in the first place. We're out of sync and off our game. Our marriage is kind of. . .coming apart at the seams a little, and we need to do something about it before it's too late."

Callie closed her eyes, nodding her head. "So, there never was a conference in Florida, and your parents are staying here with Sofia?" she asked hesitantly. They hadn't really talked about the nuts and bolts of what she had read in Arizona's email or the details of childcare for Sofia or anything else she had originally believed to be true.

"Yeah, my mom and dad have known about this for a while. Since I originally started making plans. I was trying to surprise you, that's why I said I had a conference and that they had to leave," Arizona replied.

A slight smile curled at Callie's lips. "Well, I'm surprised," she mused regretfully. "Had. . ._last week_ not happened, I never would have known. I'm _really_ sorry I ruined the surprise."

Arizona nodded, acknowledging her apology. Standing from her seat next to her wife, she crossed the room to pull a shirt from the closet. "So, you need to pack," she stated playfully. "Because I am _not_ getting on a plane alone."

* * *

Callie lay awake in their bed later that night, the incessant thoughts in her head too deafening to allow her to sleep. "Arizona?" she whispered into the darkness of their bedroom from where she lay on her back with her wife curled into the warmth of her side.

"Yeah?" the blonde responded sleepily, her eyes remaining closed.

"Do you think we need to go to marriage counseling or something?" she questioned, surprised that her wife was actually still awake. "Do you think that's what we need?"

After several moments of silence, Callie rolled onto her side, believing her wife had returned to dreamland. "No, I don't think so," suddenly came Arizona's mumbled response, causing Callie to jump slightly at the sound. "We still love each other, Calliope, there was never a question of that. We just got lazy. . .well, not lazy. Just, busy," she clarified, her voice now more clear. "We know what we _need_ to do, now it's just a matter of doing it."

Callie rolled back over, staring at the ceiling only lit by the streetlights outside as her mind continued to work. Moving onto her side to face her wife, she brushed a wayward lock of blonde hair from her face. "Do you think _I _need to go to counseling?"

Arizona's eyes slowly opened upon hearing this question.

"I mean, when we get back," Callie clarified as she stared into tired blue eyes. "Do you think I should talk to someone about my insecurities and fears. . .and _anger_?" she questioned hesitantly.

Arizona pulled her left arm from beneath the warmth of the duvet, reaching out to stroke her wife's caramel cheek as she lay silently watching the torrent of emotions in her soulful brown eyes. "_I_ think you need to go with your gut and do whatever feels right to you. Whatever you _want_ to do - whatever you think you _need_ to do - I will be there to support you every single step of the way."

Callie smiled before leaning forward to brush her lips across a soft ivory cheek. "I think I should make an appointment," she stated as she let out a contented sigh, closing her eyes as the thoughts in her head began to calm.

Arizona watched as Callie's body began to relax. "Then we'll make an appointment."

* * *

"Be good for Pop-Pop and Grandma, alright, mija?" Callie requested the following morning as they stood in the airport saying their goodbyes.

"I'm not a baby, mom," Sofia replied. "I'll be good."

Arizona briefly hugged her father before turning to her mom. "Thank you," she stated as she embraced Barbara. "We _really_ need this," she continued.

"Thanks for taking care of Sofia for us," Callie stated as she pulled away from her mother-in-law's embrace.

Turning toward her daughter, a genuine smile graced Arizona's face. "I love you, big girl," she said as she kissed her cheek before reaching for Callie's hand.

"Promise me you won't let go," Arizona demanded moments later as they walked down the terminal toward the entrance of the plane.

"I promise," Callie replied with a knowing smile. "I'll hold your hand for the entire five hour flight and if necessary, for the rest of the weekend, too."

After the crash, it had taken Arizona three years to get back on an airplane, and she had flown sporadically since then, but the fear was always present. Who could blame her? Who could blame anyone for being fearful of flying after the harrowing events she had suffered seven years prior.

Arizona grinned at her wife's response. "Thank you," she replied as she buckled her seatbelt before once again grasping Callie's hand.

Callie squeezed it between both of her own. "I know you hate flying, sweetie," she stated emphatically. "Thank you for doing this for me."

Arizona leaned forward to kiss her wife's jaw. Pulling back, she shook her head. "This isn't just for you," she began. "_We're_ doing this for _us._"

* * *

"Do you have anything planned for today?" Callie asked as they settled into their room at the _Westin Times Square_ six hours later.

Arizona distractedly looked up from the brochure she was reading from her seat against the headboard. "Not today," she admitted, pushing her glasses up further on the bridge of her nose. "I have plans for tomorrow, but today I thought we could just explore. See where the city leads us."

Callie smiled as she sat down next to her wife on the edge of the bed. "Have I told you lately how unbelievably _hot_ you are in those glasses?" she asked, pulling the brochure from her wife's hand.

"No, not lately, I don't think," Arizona smirked. "But you can tell me now."

A burst of sexy laughter left Callie's chest. "You. Are. Hot," she said deliberately. "And those glasses are just so. . ._so_ sexy."

Arizona studied her wife momentarily before grabbing the brochure and tossing it to the side. Taking Callie's hands into her own, she pulled her in closer to her body. As she wrapped her arms around her wife's shoulders, she sought out the full lips that she hadn't kissed properly in over a week, engaging them in a gentle, yet insistent kiss.

Wrapping her left arm around her wife's waist, Callie clutched the shirt covering Arizona's middle as she leaned further into the passionate joining of their lips, her other hand gently caressing an ivory cheek. Pulling back slightly, she blushed. "I've missed that," she stated with a sigh as she anxiously stood from the bed.

Arizona regarded her wife curiously before also standing. It was clear that there was still an awkward tension between them, but she hoped to remedy that during this trip. Grabbing her coat and scarf from the back of the desk chair, she began to bundle up for their day out in sunny, but chilly New York City. "You want to grab something to eat, first?" she asked after watching Callie do the same.

Callie only nodded, reaching to take Arizona's hand into hers. "Sure," she stated with an easy smile. "Sounds great."

* * *

Walking hand in hand along the bustling streets of New York City, Arizona and Callie window shopped as they passed various stores, stopping here and there to point out different items and chatting about nothing in particular. The sun shone brightly in the sky, but was blocked by the ominous skyscrapers around them, the wind whipping about giving the temperature a bit of an edge.

As the couple leisurely strolled further from their hotel, Callie couldn't help but gaze sidelong at her wife. She looked so adorable in her wool peacoat with a fluffy pink scarf tied around her neck, matching pink mittens protecting her hands from the cold. On any other person, Callie would have scoffed at the total lack of _badassness_, but on Arizona it was simply perfect.

As Arizona stopped and laughed at something in a store window, Callie felt her heart skip a beat. This - walking hand in hand together, without a care in the world - was the part of their relationship she recently missed the most. The small things like watching Arizona laugh at some ridiculous souvenirs made Callie grateful that they had been granted this second change. Their lives had been so hectic for so many months that simple things like walking down the street together lightened her heart and made her grin like a fool.

Lost in her own thoughts, Callie failed to realize that Arizona was talking to her. "Huh? Sorry. What was that, babe?" she asked when she saw Arizona looking at her inquisitively.

"Nothing," Arizona replied with a slight shake of her head. "You just zoned out for a while and were staring at me. . ." she continued. "Everything alright?"

Callie smiled brightly with a nod of her head. "Perfectly fine," she answered honestly. "I was just thinking about how _freaking_ adorable you look in that matching scarf and mittens. Nobody but you could pull off pink and fluffy, but. . .you do. . .and you do it well, I might add."

Arizona smiled sheepishly at the compliment as she stepped up to her wife. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she nuzzled her neck. "Adorable, huh?" she asked coyly. "Aren't I a little too old to be _adorable_?"

"Not in my book," Callie said with a laugh as she kissed the tip of Arizona's nose. "Just like you're not too old to be. . ._hot_." She pecked her wife's cheek. "_Sexy," she added, _pecking the other cheek.

Arizona quickly turned her head, intercepting Callie's chaste kiss to add greater fervor to it as she captured her wife's lips with her own. Moaning into her wife's mouth, Arizona breathlessly pulled back moments later. "I know this is probably incredibly cliché," she said cheekily. "But, the amazing smell of the pizza coming from that restaurant over there is making my mouth water. So, I was wondering if you'd join me for some New York Style pizza while we are in. . .well. . .New York."

Callie chuckled softly with a roll of her eyes. "You're such a goof," she stated, grabbing Arizona's hand. "Come on."

* * *

Callie watched as Arizona brought a frosted mug of Yuengling Light to her lips. God she was gorgeous. Everything she did just exuded femininity, whether she was drinking cheap beer from an oversized stein or sipping Chardonnay from expensive stemware. There was nothing Arizona Robbins did that didn't turn Callie on.

Clearing her throat, Callie took a sip from her own mug. "We haven't had time lately for our normal catch up during lunch," she began as sh

e set it back down on the table. "So, tell me about work."

Arizona smiled at Callie's attempt at reconciling where they had gone wrong. "Well, I haven't had many interesting cases, lately. I've been doing mostly paperwork and meetings while Karev and Wilson take care of the surgeries," she answered. "I hate it."

Callie nodded. She would hate not cutting, as well. "Did you and Derek finish that case with Natalie before we left?"

"Yeah," Arizona replied, wiping the corner of her mouth with her napkin. "The final surgery was the day before Thanksgiving. We decided on a cortical resection of the temporal lobe. Derek seems hopeful."

Callie took a bite from her slice of pepperoni pizza, nodding her head in understanding.

"What about you?" Arizona asked. "How did the Ewing's sarcoma kid do?"

"So far, so good," Callie replied. "I'd like you to have a look at her scans when we get back, though. She's going to need at least one more surgery."

"Sounds good," Arizona stated honestly. "It's been a while since we've had a case together."

Callie smiled at the thought. They always worked so well together - inside the hospital and out. "This is nice," she stated happily before taking another swallow from her mug. Greeted with a dimpled grin, she knew Arizona agreed. "You think your parents are surviving Hurricane Sofia?"

Arizona pursed her lips, tilting her head to the side as she considered that question. "We should probably call them later and check."

"Good idea."

* * *

Stepping up to the windows at the stern of the Staten Island Ferry, Arizona paused, watching the breathtaking sight before her. It was easy to forget that the burgeoning city of Manhattan was an island, but seeing it from the water, at sunset no less, gave it a whole new perspective. It wasn't just the site of the bands of color changing from pinks and golds to a melancholy blue as they reflected in the glass of millions of windows of the thousands of buildings, that Arizona found miraculous. Nor was it the site of the majestic Statue of Liberty to her left as the city grew smaller and smaller in front of her that she found breathtakingly stunning. In fact, the sight that halted Arizona's advance had nothing to do with The City. Nothing at all to do with the beauty of the sunset or the grandeur of the City that Never Sleeps, and everything to do with the woman standing with her gloved hands resting on the rails, brunette hair whipping around her amazingly smooth caramel face.

Gathering her thoughts, a sincere smile lit Arizona's face brighter than all the lights in Times Square. Moving out the exit and toward her wife, she nudged her with her hip. "Hot chocolate for you, pretty lady."

Callie spun her head around, surprised at the sound of Arizona's voice, clearly lost in her own thoughts. "Hey," she greeted after a moment. "Thank you," she said as she accepted the cup from her wife.

Arizona watched the city grow smaller in the distance as the ferry motored further and further across the New York Harbor. "It's really beautiful out here," she stated, taking a sip from her cup of cocoa.

Callie dragged her eyes from the sunset to gaze at her wife. "Yeah, I've always loved visiting New York. Not sure I'd want to live here, but it's always lovely to visit."

"I wasn't talking about the city," Arizona replied, stepping closer to her wife and staring directly into her chocolate orbs.

"I. . .umm. . ." Callie stammered nervously, a blush rising to her face.

"You're beautiful," Arizona reiterated, leaning up to capture chocolate laced lips with her own. Pulling back momentarily, she stared into Callie's dazed eyes as she licked her lips. Unable to resist the urge pulsing through her, Arizona immediately leaned back in, passionately reclaiming her wife's intoxicating mouth in a hard kiss.

Arizona felt Callie finally relax into her body and moaned into her mouth when she felt a warm tongue brush along her bottom lip, urgently requesting entrance. Parting her lips to allow the request, Arizona wrapped her one free arm around Callie's waist, gripping tightly onto the material of her black winter coat as she pulled her body firmly against her.

Damn hot chocolate. If she didn't have a conscience, she would have just thrown the cup overboard, but instead, she stepped forward pressing Callie flush against the back of the ferry, her right thigh pressing between her wife's legs, providing her greater support against the steady movement and subtle rocking of the boat.

Callie leaned back, tearing herself away from Arizona's beautifully swollen lips, her head hitting the cool metal of the vessel. Grinning sexily, she tore off the glove of her free hand with her teeth so that she could touch her wife. Anywhere. Everywhere.

Damn cold weather. Damn hot chocolate. If she didn't have a conscience, she would have just thrown the cup overboard, but instead, she laced her fingers through the silky blonde hair at the back of Arizona's head, pulling her in for a kiss so intense that she felt a rush of wet heat pool between her legs.

Arizona returned the kiss with equal fervor, her tongue sweeping and swirling inside her wife's mouth as her hips acting on their own volition, thrusting against Callie's pelvis with a nearly imperceptible unconscious rhythm.

Arizona's mittened hand slipped into the back of Callie's jeans to squeeze wantonly at the luscious skin she found there as Callie's hand tugged at her head to more urgently feed from the drugging sweetness of her mouth. Untangling her hand from Arizona's hair, the Latina ran her fingertips down the smooth skin of her face and then over her shoulder before bringing it down to cup a miraculous breast through the rough wool of her coat.

Callie arched her aching center against Arizona, needing to feel the delicious friction she had been longing for. "God, you feel good," she moaned in between insistent tugs of provocative mouths.

As amazing as it felt to have her wife in her arms again, to be kissing her, to have her body pressed intimately against her own, Arizona's brain suddenly kicked in, rational thoughts transcending the lusty need quickly overwhelming every fiber of her being. "C-Callie," she breathed against full and throbbing lips.

"Hmm?" Callie hummed, as she distractedly lay open mouth kisses along her jawline, her hand still grasping an aroused breast, her lower body subtly grinding against her wife's thigh.

Arizona couldn't help the giggle that slipped from her as Callie's lips tickled her neck. "We're drawing a crowd," she laughed.

Reluctantly pulling away, Callie considered her wife questioningly before turning her head in the direction of Arizona's eyes. Taking in the people who had decided to take in the spectacle, Callie sheepishly removed her hand from Arizona's breast. "They sell popcorn and drinks at the snack bar inside the ferry," she announced to the bemused crowd. "Go get some," she continued with a flourish of her hand. "It'll go great with the show."

* * *

Callie nervously ran her hands down the sides of the little black dress she had picked out for the evening as she scrutinized herself in the bathroom mirror. The thought of Arizona waiting for her downstairs in the hotel restaurant made her anxious, as if they were teenagers on their first date. She had insisted she go ahead of her to order them a drink so that she could have just a little bit of time alone to compose her nerves and calm the butterflies wreaking havoc on her insides.

Today had been perfect. More than perfect, actually. Was there a word for something greater than perfect? Stellar, perhaps?

Callie shook her head at her own circuitous thoughts. She couldn't remember the last time she used the word perfect or stellar to describe her life. Not that her life was bad, but it had just been. . ._off_. Not to mention that just a week ago, she would never have thought that she would be feeling like this - like she was on top of the world - ever again. At that point in time, she was terrified that she was losing her wife to another woman, but now here she was - in the Big Apple - about to join her for a lovely dinner in a luxurious hotel after spending a fun-filled and restorative day together.

She knew that when they arrived back in Seattle the day after tomorrow, today would remain as a fondest of memories. They hadn't done anything particularly _amazing_, though Callie was sure Arizona had all of those kinds of things saved up for the following day. But, just spending the day with her wife as they strolled the streets hand-in-hand, laughing and teasing each other as they ate pizza and drank beer, and sharing a good old fashioned junior high make out aboard the Staten Island Ferry was, in her opinion, perfect and more than she could have ever asked for.

Today, for the first time since all of the drama began, she truly felt that they were going to be more than just okay. She had felt a little bit of their usual spark fly back into their relationship, which was why she now stood alone, staring at herself - meticulously surveying her body -while her wife was, she was sure, impatiently waiting for her downstairs.

It had been over two months since they made love - over two months since she had felt her wife's magical hands on her body - but today, as they rode the ferry, with the sun setting and the wind whipping around them, Arizona had kissed her. Like _really_ kissed her. She had pressed her body firmly against her own and taken her breath away. Their hands had wandered, their breathing labored, and as Arizona not so subtly pressed her hips into her, Callie was sure she was about to lose control. Wants and needs that had been neglected for so long came rushing to the forefront and if it hadn't been for her wife's amazing self-control, Callie may have thrown her down onto the deck and had her way with her right then and there as they rode over the chilly waters.

So, here she still stood, nervously wondering if tonight would be the night - their night. She knew her accusations had deeply wounded her wife and between those and her own insecurities, she was truly apprehensive about how tonight would play out. She wanted nothing more than to make love to Arizona. It had been too long since they were last together intimately, and to be completely candid, she was desperately horny, but that wasn't the point. She wanted to make Arizona feel good, but she _needed_ Arizona to make _her_ feel good more than anything. Maybe it was selfish, but she needed her wife to show her, despite her own lingering doubts, that she still wanted and craved her - that she still desired her.

Taking a deep breath and adjusting the lopsided silver heart dangling around her neck, Callie gave herself a final once over. "You look good," she reassuringly spoke to herself in the mirror before turning to exit the room, making her way down to the hotel restaurant in hopes of an amazingly memorable evening.

* * *

Sipping from her glass of water, Arizona restlessly fidgeted in her seat, tugging at her knee length dress as she waited for Callie to join her. Their day out in The City had been wonderful. She really felt that today was a step in the right direction toward their reconciliation - toward finding themselves again - and she hoped that tonight, she could show her wife just how much she truly missed her.

As she surreptitiously looked around at the other patrons in the restaurant, she silently chastised herself for worrying about what they may or may not be thinking. She had worked long and hard to become comfortable with herself again after the crash, but no matter how much time had passed, there was always a tiny bit of insecurity lingering in the recesses of her mind. It had taken longer than either she or Callie could ever have anticipated, but she eventually got there.

She had been forced to wear a dress for the first time after the crash to Miranda Bailey's wedding, but it was long and flowing, and hid her prosthesis fairly well. Shorter dresses were a different story; it had taken years for her to be able to wear one out in public and even to this day, it was very rare - very occasionally - and usually only when she and Callie were out together. She didn't always like it - but she did it - because she loved her wife, and because she knew that she liked it when she did so. Her self-image had definitely improved over the years, and with the help of David her prosthetist and the advancements of modern technology she now had a leg that - well - looked like a leg, but the times still remained when her insecurities continued to get the best of her.

Perusing the wine menu and wishing she had brought her glasses from the room, she couldn't help but wonder how Callie could ever feel so poorly about herself when, in her mind, she had only gotten more beautiful with each passing year. She had softened. She had matured. Where there once was an edginess to her look, a stunning, but badass Latina in her signature leather jacket, with bold eyeliner and dark raven hair, there now was a more mellowed look, still stunning, still badass, and still in leather, but with a lighter more sophisticatedly natural air to her features.

Arizona sighed at the thought of the changes they had gone through throughout their years together. In her mind and because of the things they both had suffered, her definition of beauty and Callie's as well, wasn't so concrete. It wasn't as simple as what was seen on the outside. She still found Callie breathtakingly stunning, but her definition of beauty also had a lot to do with what was reflected from within. Callie had spoken those very words to her a time or two in the past- during her worst periods of self-loathing after the crash - leaving Arizona to wonder how Callie could be so good at making her feel beautiful when she, at times, couldn't do the same for herself.

Setting the wine menu to the side, she looked down at her watch before looking back up toward the entrance. The sight she was met with caused her breath to catch and her heart rate to quicken, her face lighting with a dimpled grin as she watched her wife make her way across the restaurant toward their table.

Callie's face lit with a megawatt grin when she caught Arizona's gaze. "Hey," she said when she reached her seat. "Sorry I took so long," she said sheepishly as she sat down in the chair across from her wife.

Realizing her mouth lay agape, Arizona self-consciously licked her lips before clearing her throat. "You look amazing, Calliope," she replied, reaching across the table to take a caramel hand into her own.

Callie blushed slightly before allowing her eyes to drift from Arizona's face southward toward the plunging neckline of the navy blue dress she was wearing. Dragging her eyes back up toward the clear blue ones staring back at her, Callie smiled. "You're breathtaking, Arizona."

"Thank you, Calliope," she replied, taking a sip from her water.

"No wine, tonight?" Callie asked in confusion as she watched Arizona set the glass of water back down on the table cloth.

Arizona smiled shyly, with a roll of her eyes. "I couldn't read the menu very well because. . .I left my glasses in the room," she reluctantly admitted. "So, I was waiting for you."

Callie pressed her lips into a tight line in an attempt to hide her amusement as she opened the small clutch she brought with her.

"It's not funny, Callie," Arizona huffed self-consciously. "What are you doing?" she asked as she watched her wife pull something from her purse.

Callie smiled knowingly as she handed the glasses to her wife. "Here," she said coyly. "I figured you would need them."

Tearing the spectacles from her wife's hand, Arizona laughed. "I hate you," she teased before placing them over her ears and pushing them up the bridge of her nose.

The wine was soon delivered to their table, followed by their soup, and then their entrées. As they enjoyed their meals, flirting shamelessly and sharing bites from the other's plate, their conversation flowed freely from Sofia and Arizona's parents to the Ewing's sarcoma case Callie needed her wife's assistance with, thoughts of how they wanted this evening to end never far from either of their minds.

Taking a last bite from her dinner, Arizona smiled as she put down her fork, before leaning back in her seat, a contented sigh escaping her lips. Smiling at her wife, she took another sip from her wine glass. "You may have to carry me up to the room," she teased. "I'm not sure I'll be able to walk after eating all of that."

Callie smiled, finishing the last of the wine in her glass. "You didn't save room for dessert?" she asked as she offered the wine bottle to her wife, silently asking if she'd like some more.

When Arizona held out her glass, Callie poured the little remaining in the bottle into it. "I just assumed I'd be having _you _for dessert," Arizona whispered seductively as she leaned forward, resting her arms on the table.

Callie's face reddened at her wife's blatant advances, quickly throwing back the last of her wine. "Arizona, I. . ." she trailed off shaking her head.

"What is it, Callie?" Arizona compassionately asked.

Callie let out a shaky breath, her eyes darting around the room before finally landing back on her wife. "I'm sorry," she replied. "I've been thinking about this since you kissed me on the ferry. I don't know why I'm suddenly so nervous."

Arizona smiled in understanding before reaching across the table to take Callie's hands into her own, laying a gentle kiss on the back of one. "Calliope, we used to be spontaneous and fun, but at some point in time, we lost our way. For some reason we stopped being who we really are," Arizona explained. "We are _still _hot, and we are _still_ sexy, and there is no reason why we shouldn't go back to _doing_ what we know and _being_ who we are."

Callie smiled as unexplained tears began to well in her eyes. "I really, _really_ love you, Arizona Robbins."

Arizona smiled, sitting silently as she watched the candles on the table cast a glow onto the caramel skin of Callie's face and arms. Shaking her head, she mused, "I'm not sure how you could ever think that I don't find you miraculous - breathtakingly stunning."

Callie blushed for what felt like the millionth time that evening as she looked down at their joined hands. "Callie?" Arizona softly requested.

"Hmm?" she responded, looking back up at her wife.

"Please let me take you up to our room and show you just how much I love you - how much I love your body," Arizona insisted as she stood from her seat. Leaning down toward Callie's ear, she huskily whispered, "Let me love you, baby. Let me make you feel good."

* * *

**AN2: **Hmm. . .now what do we do? ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** Ready to Love Again

**Author: HandsThatHeal2**

**Co-Collaborator:** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing:** Callie/Arizona

**Rating: **M/NC-17

**Summary:** After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer: **All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **Thanks to everyone for your continued interest in this story. I'm flattered and overwhelmed by the response it has received. A big thank you to Funkyshaz57 for sticking with me. Note the change in rating, though I'm pretty sure everyone saw that coming, anyway. ;) Enjoy!

* * *

Arizona took Callie's hand in hers as she led them down the hallway toward their room. Letting go only long enough to unlock the door, Arizona then sat her purse down on the dresser as Callie kicked off her shoes. Turning back toward her wife, she once again took Callie's hand as she pulled her abruptly toward her. The closer she got to her, the more Arizona could see the hesitance still present in her deep brown eyes.

"Today was a great day, Calliope," she whispered before kissing her softly on the cheek.

"It really was," Callie stated simply as she laid a gentle kiss on the side of Arizona's mouth, her hand moving to cup the side of her face.

Arizona turned her mouth toward Callie's, their lips fully coming together in a passionate tryst of moist lips and insistent tongues. As the kiss intensified, electricity surged through both of their bodies, their want and need increasing with every kiss and every touch as Arizona slipped her hands up the back of Callie's thighs, bunching the short skirt of her dress around her waist.

"H-hold on," Callie stammered, as she pulled away from her wife, her hands grasping Arizona's forearms to halt the ministrations of her hands. "I'm sorry," she said softly as she stepped away from her wife to stand in front of the mirror, closely scrutinizing herself.

Arizona stood quietly, watching the emotions play across her wife's features. Cautiously stepping up behind her, she rested her cheek against her back before laying a feather light kiss against her shoulder blade. Grasping both of her wife's hips in her hands, Arizona caressed down the material of her dress to her smooth thighs before returning her hands upward drawing the material of her skirt back up again.

Callie watched her wife in the mirror, consumed by the mixture of lust, love, and undying commitment she recognized in the cerulean eyes that were locked with hers. "You're beautiful," Arizona husked as she placed feather light kisses down her spine, her hands repeating their downward path on the sensitive skin at the inside of the Latina's thighs. "Every single part of you takes my breath away," she continued as she pulled the zipper at the back of Callie's dress down with her teeth.

Callie didn't stop her wife, but instead leaned back into her body, biting her bottom lip as she watched Arizona's every move. Pulling her hands from between her wife's thighs, Arizona parted the material at the back of her dress, gently stroking the skin at the top of caramel shoulders and she pushed at the straps, causing the dress to slide down the Latina's body and to pool around feet.

Flinching slightly when her now discarded dress revealed her nearly naked form, Callie let out a staggering breath as she once again found Arizona's eyes. Stepping from her dress, she watched as Arizona's hands snaked their way up her body to land on her shoulders.

"Do you know what I see when I look at you, Calliope?" Arizona asked, laying open mouth kisses along her back as she lowered the straps of her lacey black bra down her shoulders.

Callie only shook her head, intoxicated by the sight in the mirror of her wife's hands on her body.

"I see my wife," Arizona replied as she unhooked Callie's bra, pulling it down her arms and letting it fall into a heap on the floor. "I see an intelligent. . ." she pressed a kiss onto the nape of Callie's neck, her hands sliding up her sides to cup heavy breasts in both of her hands. "Strong. . ." Arizona gently kneaded the supple flesh in her hands. ". . .beautiful woman whose presence lights up my day," she continued as she teased Callie's nipples between her thumbs and index fingers. "I see the woman that my thoughts crave and my body aches for."

"I. . .I feel like I don't know how to do this anymore," Callie stuttered as Arizona's wandering hands moved down to the elastic of her matching black panties.

"Let me help you remember," Arizona insisted with a sexy smile as she tugged Callie's panties down her legs. "Let me show you just how beautiful you really are."

"Arizona. . ." Callie began to resist.

"Shhh," Arizona insisted, nudging her right knee between Callie's legs as she reached up to remove her wife's earrings before worrying each earlobe between her teeth.

Arizona paused momentarily to seek out her wife's darkened chocolate eyes. "I love you, Callie. I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Callie replied, leaning her head back onto the blonde's shoulder, her eyes falling shut when she felt Arizona softly trail her hand over the faded scar along the valley between her breasts.

"Open your eyes, Calliope," Arizona demanded. "I want you to see what I see."

Callie slowly opened her eyes to once again meet her wife's gaze in the mirror. "You're beautiful, baby. Inside and out. . .and I want you so badly right now," Arizona remarked. "Do you see these?" she asked as her fingertips grazed over turgid nipples before cupping both beautifully formed breasts in her hands.

Callie swallowed hard, overwhelmed by the fire she saw in her wife's eyes.

Noting Callie's nearly imperceptible nod, Arizona continued. "They're magnificent," she admitted, as she gently kneaded and stroked her now aching breasts. "When we're at work, it takes everything I have not to be kissing them, touching them, licking them. . .all the time."

Callie shivered at the sensation of her wife's pleasing touch and her hot breath against her ear, reveling in the feel of the goose bumps that arose over every inch of her body. Relaxing against Arizona's front, she ran her fingers over the bare arms wrapped tightly around her, bringing her hands to cover the ones cupping her breasts.

Leaning her head forward, Arizona kissed her wife's temple, then brushed her lips gently along her jawline before nipping at the sensitive skin below her earlobe. "You are so fucking hot," she commented sensuously as she kissed and licked her wife's neck, pinching each hardened nipple, her hands delicately holding the weight of her wife's beautiful breasts.

"God, Arizona," Callie groaned, her head once again falling backward onto an ivory shoulder as her wife continued the ministrations of her tongue and mouth against her neck, one hand trailing down caramel flesh to cup the soft mound of her sex.

Pulling her even closer to her, Arizona pressed her own aching breasts, still covered by the material of her dress, firmly against her wife's back, aroused nipples caressing muscled shoulder blades. "I said open your eyes, Calliope," she demanded when she saw that her eyes had again fallen shut, her teeth biting sharply into the skin of her wife's neck.

Callie's eyes snapped open, her mouth falling agape as she obeyed her wife's every command. Reaching behind them with the hand not covering her wife's at her own breast, she grasped Arizona's ass, pressing her wife's core more firmly against her own bottom.

Arizona smirked seductively as she ran the middle finger of her right hand gently along Callie's dripping folds. Pressing her own hips forward, seeking the erotic friction she'd been craving for over two months, she rubbed two fingers in exaggerated circles over an eager clit. "This is my very favorite part of your body. You're so, _so_ wet, baby," Arizona rasped into her ear. "I don't ever want to stop touching you, Calliope. I'm so hungry for you."

As loud, sharp gasps of pure bliss began rushing from Callie's mouth, Arizona moved her attention from her engorged nub, plunging two fingers deep inside her wife, her motions slow at first, but soon becoming faster and more urgent. "I've missed this so much, baby. I've missed making you come around my fingers. . .against my tongue."

Callie's grip on Arizona's hand and ass increased, her breathing becoming heavier as Arizona nipped and sucked at her pulse point, her talented fingers continuing their agonizing work. "Don't stop!" she groaned. "You feel so good inside me. Please don't stop!"

Callie panted harshly as beads of sweat collected on her forehead at the site of her wife's fingers sinking into the glistening moistness at the apex of her thighs. Dragging her eyes up her own body, she once again locked eyes with her wife before Arizona caught a droplet of moisture sliding down her temple with the tip of her tongue.

Callie wanted to give her wife just as much pleasure as she was currently receiving, but was wholly unable to turn away from the sight before her. Feeling and watching Arizona grind her own body against her, as she torturously slid her fingers out from within to caress her swollen folds, was intoxicating. Callie watched as the tip of her wife's middle finger then grazed over her erect clit before briefly rubbing furious circles over it. "Please, Arizona. Please," she begged in a husky whisper, the look in her own eyes proof that she was nearing her breaking point.

Unable to continue holding Callie's body upright, Arizona stepped backward pulling her wife along with her until she landed on the bed with Callie on her lap. Moving so that Callie's legs straddled her right leg, she removed her fingers from within her wife, rubbing intense circles over her pulsating bud as Callie writhed against her thigh.

Arizona kissed Callie's neck and shoulder and continued to perfectly stimulate her clit until her wife's whimpering began to rise in volume. Knowing what Callie craved and seeing the need in her provocative eyes in the mirror, she applied more pressure, the Latina's whimpers soon turning into low, helpless moans.

Callie gasped, her back arching into her wife when she felt Arizona pinch her aching bundle of nerves between her thumb and index finger. "I'm so close, Arizona. So close," she panted, her center slickly sliding against Arizona's now drenched thigh as she continued to tweak her nipple and clit.

"I know, baby," Arizona murmured into her ear. "Keep your eyes open. I want you to see how beautiful you are when you come."

"Arizona. . ." Callie ground out upon hearing those words. "I. . .I'm. . ."

Arizona watched as Callie's brow furrowed, her eyes heavy with lust and desire as her mouth hung open. Words died on her lips, guttural moans all that escaped her as Arizona continued to fondle her pulsing member, two fingers quickening their pace as she rubbed her in deliberate circles. Arizona moaned against Callie's shoulder and without warning bit into her shoulder blade, sending sparks of pleasure and pain surging throughout her entire body. Callie panted and squirmed in pure bliss, the flush rapidly changing the color of her breasts, neck, and face, a tell-tale sign that she was undeniably about to come.

In a wild eruption of ecstasy, Callie's back arched, her entire body going rigid as a low gravelly moan came from deep within before her body began to shudder uncontrollably. Watching herself experience her own blinding, pulsing moment of release was a whole new experience that caused her core to contract with uncontrollable spasms as unadulterated pleasure unlike any she had ever previously felt, surged through her. "Arizona!" she screamed in uninhibited satisfaction, her left hand clutching her wife's, her right hooking behind her to grasp at the hair at the back of the blonde's head.

Nuzzling her nose against Callie's neck as her body continued to tremble, Arizona slowed her fingers as the Latina's orgasm began to subside. "God you're stunning when you come," she breathed before tirelessly moving her fingers once more. After a few more gently strokes, Callie's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she cried out again, her body stiffening as a second earth shattering climax consumed her.

Arizona gently caressed Callie's thighs and abdomen with one hand, the other continuing to hold her tightly. Whispering hushed promises and _I love yous _into her ear, she lovingly coaxed her down from her orgasmic high.

"Oh, my God," Callie breathed out, dropping her head forward, her hands moving forward to rest on her knees. "That is _so_ not how I thought that was going to happen."

Arizona couldn't help the satisfied giggle that left her chest as she laid gentle kisses down Callie's spine and over her shoulder blades. "How exactly did you think _it _would happen, Calliope?"

Callie took a deep breath, gathering her senses as she pulled herself from her wife's lap, turning to kneel between her legs. "I-I don't really know," she admitted sheepishly. "It's just. . .I honestly can't remember the last time you looked at me so intensely. . .with so much. . .desire and passion in your eyes," she continued, hoping her honesty wouldn't be taken the wrong way. "The way you just. . .uh. . ._took_ me - held me - made me feel. It's been a while. . ."

Arizona looked down into Callie's soulful brown eyes as she tucked brunette hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry we ever stopped looking at each other like that, Calliope," she admitted as she ran her hand over a caramel cheek. "I'm sorry I ever let you doubt how much I want you - because I _always_ want you Calliope - there's not a day that goes by that I don't. I may not say it all the time and maybe it won't always be like. . ._this_. . .but there's nothing in the world that could ever make me stop wanting you."

Callie smiled at her wife, believing every single word that was uttered from her beautiful mouth. Running her hands up and down the tops of her thighs, she sighed, looking away from her.

Noticing Callie's continued hesitancy, Arizona placed her fingertips against her cheek, forcing her face toward her own. "Callie? Talk to me, sweetie," she urged. "What's wrong?"

Callie's gaze nervously flicked back toward her wife. "You. . .you make me feel so good, Arizona - with your words and-and the way you touch me. The way you make me. . ._react_, it's like nothing I've ever felt before," she stated earnestly as a slight blush rose over her chest and face. Callie had never considered herself shy, but when she first met Arizona - when they first began sleeping together - the blonde's confidence in the bedroom had taken her by surprise. "I just hope that I can _still_ make you. . .that I can still do the same for you."

Arizona regarded her momentarily, surprised that after all these years, Callie still was unsure of how she made her feel both emotionally and physically. In the beginning of their relationship, Arizona tended to take the lead in the bedroom - she undoubtedly had experience that Callie did not - but as the years progressed and as Callie became more closely in tune with her own sexuality, her newfound realization and comfort began to show during their lovemaking.

Arizona realized that he wife's recently resurfaced insecurities coupled with the incident with Natalie had put a new dent in Callie's confidence. "Calliope," she compassionately began. "You make me feel things that no one else ever has - every single day of my life. You complete me in every way imaginable."

Callie smiled shyly up at her wife who was looking at her with nothing but honesty in her eyes. "Yeah?" she questioned, the vulnerability clear in her tone.

"Yes, baby," Arizona encouraged with a grin. "No one could ever make me feel how you do," she continued, her smile quickly turning sultry. "Just looking at you makes me so, _so _wet," she husked.

Deciding to show her wife just how much she still turned her on, Arizona smiled seductively down at her. Pulling her dress up around her waist, slowly revealing inch by inch of smooth silky skin she spread her legs, leaning back on her elbows as she reached for Callie's hand.

Feeling her pulse race at the sight of her wife's seductive show, Callie let her hand be led to Arizona's center, her eyes fluttering closed as she felt the wet heat of her wife on her fingertips. "Oh," she whispered in surprise. "You feel so good, Arizona. And _so_ wet," she rasped as her fingers unconsciously began to play against her warm damp entrance.

"I'm wet for _you_, Callie," Arizona replied, her eyes fluttering shut as her mouth fell open. "This. . .Oh. Umm. . .this is what you do-do to me," she stammered as Callie softly stroked her through the thin material of her panties.

Callie smiled, the feeling of her wife's wetness against her fingers, knowing that it was all for her, gave her the confidence and reassurance she had been seeking. "I love you," she said as she pushed the skirt of Arizona's dress up her body. "I need you," she continued as she urged her to raise her arms above her head. The feeling of Arizona's arousal, her breathy moans, the way her wife was pushing her pelvis forward spurred Callie on. She had missed this - the feeling of being surrounded by the woman she loved, and now she craved nothing more than to make Arizona scream. "I want you so badly," she replied as she pushed the dress Arizona was still wearing off her body. "God, you're sexy," she commented as her gaze raked up and down her wife's near nakedness.

Callie looked up into Arizona's eyes as her fingers worked to unhook the front latch of the navy blue bra she was wearing before her hands travelled down her wife's chest, gently stroking smooth ivory skin before grazing her breasts with her palms, her nipples hardening to a point. Leaning upward, she captured Arizona's lips in an open mouth kiss as she hooked her thumbs into her matching panties to pull them down her legs. Moving her mouth away from her inviting lips, the Latina licked the shell of her ear before blowing cool air against it.

Looking down at her wife, Arizona watched as the Latina completely removed her bra and then palmed her left breast as she started to devour the other with her mouth. "Mmm, Callie. . ." she moaned, tossing her head back on her neck as she felt her right nipple go from hot and wet to cold and hard under the ministrations of her wife's skilled tongue and lips. Kissing the valley between her wife's perfect breasts, Callie then rewarded Arizona's left nipple with the same loving attention.

Slowly kissing down her stomach, Callie pressed her legs open as she nudged her nose against the delectable clit she could see peeking out from under its hood. Resting her tongue against it, she looked up at her wife, her tongue never straying from its motionless position. "You're throbbing, Arizona," she husked before swirling her tongue languidly through slippery wet folds.

Arizona moaned long and loud into the otherwise silent room as her eyes tracked Callie's movements. God! It had been so long since Callie had devoured her like this. The sight of her wife's head burrowed between her legs was enough to nearly make her come right then and there.

Callie pulled back, grasping both of her wife's hips in her hands as she caressed down the outsides of her smooth hips before returning her hands upward to repeat their downward path on the sensitive skin at the inside of the blonde's thighs. Glancing momentarily at her prosthesis, Callie lovingly caressed the socket as if it were an organic part of her wife's body. No matter what Arizona still thought about Velcro straps and plastic sockets, they had been a part of her for the past seven years now, and because of that, Callie found them utterly sexy. Gently placing a kiss on the knee joint, Callie then gently removed it with practiced ease. Looking up, she locked her eyes with her wife as she slowly lowered the cotton stocking from her residual limb.

Callie curled both arms around Arizona's hips, holding her closely as she dove back in, flattening her tongue to softly lick from her opening to the tip of her aroused bundle of nerves. Sucking each intoxicating fold between her lips, she gently pulled at them before wriggling her tongue into her opening as her nose brushed against her throbbing clit. Callie explored every inch of the velvety smooth skin of her lover's center, savoring every ounce of her essence that spilled forth from her slick entrance. "Scoot back," she soon urged so that she could crawl onto the mattress to settle in between her wife's thighs.

As Arizona's legs once again fell open, Callie gently spread her folds with her thumb and index finger, teasing her clit with light flicks of her tongue. She watched as her lover's center visibly clenched before running her tongue from her entrance all the way up to her bundle of nerves. Instead of focusing on the aching nub, Callie sucked at both outer lips before burying her pointed tongue deep inside her. "Oh God, Callie!" Arizona moaned, pulling sharply at her hair as her hips began bucking and writhing in a perfect rhythm with Callie as she pleasured her with her tongue. "So good, baby. More. Please."

Callie found herself addicted to the sounds of Arizona's strangled pleas, but wanted to draw this moment out. Smirking against the velvety smooth skin of her core as her mouth strayed from its moist depths to worship her inner thighs with insistent bites and sucks, she watched the blonde worry her bottom lip between her teeth in painful anticipation, her hands moving from the back of her head to grasp at her own flushed breasts.

"God you're hot, baby," Callie husked against the crease between her thigh and the place she needed her most. "I've missed tasting you," she murmured, her voice muffled against the slick skin of her dripping folds.

"Oh, God," Arizona groaned. "You make me feel so good. I'm going to come so h-hard for you, Calliope."

Unable to torture her any longer, the Latina once again dove in, exploring, tasting, and stroking her lover's tight depths as Arizona's head fell back against the pillows, her hips arching with abandon as she longed to feel her own frenzied explosion of exquisite sensation. "More, baby!" she demanded.

Grasping more tightly to trembling thighs, Callie complied, doubling her efforts as she pushed her tongue further into her pulsating core, wiggling it in the way that never failed to make the blonde curse louder and beg for more. Callie quickly slammed her thumb against Arizona's swollen clit, circling it roughly as her tongue and lips greedily continued to work their magic on her wife's throbbing entrance.

Arizona's hips writhed uncontrollably, and Callie had to pin her down with her arms to keep her in place. When she felt her wife's muscles begin to pulsate around her tongue, Callie quickly withdrew before immediately entering her with a singular driving thrust of two fingers as she sucked her engorged clit forcefully into her mouth. "Oh my God! Yes, Callie!" Arizona screamed as she violently ground her hips against the Latina's face.

With one final animalistic cry, Arizona's eyes slammed shut, her thighs clamping tightly around Callie's head as her world exploded with a blood-rushing climax. As she rode the waves of sheer ecstasy, goose bumps covered her body and she shuddered with each pulsating wave of pleasure. "Callie!" Arizona cried hoarsely as the Latina continued to lap at the slippery essence that continued to pour from her wife's hot core, her oversensitive clit tingling sharply with each exaggerated stroke of her lover's hot tongue.

"Oh my God," Arizona rasped when Callie looked up at her, smirking sexily before crawling up her body to slip her hot tongue into her wife's mouth. Arizona moaned at the intoxicating flavor of herself on her lips as she sucked her tongue further and further into her mouth.

When they finally pulled away for air, Callie smiled lovingly at her wife. "I've missed that _so_ much," she breathed against pink lips, her hips pressing firmly into her wife's. "Being able to make love to you, makes me feel. . .God. . .it's just. . .intoxicating and-and amazing, Arizona," Callie continued, a little lost for words.

Arizona leaned up to caress tanned cheeks. She smiled softly at Callie knowing exactly what her wife was trying to say. Spending time together in the city today had been so much fun - a breath of fresh air among months of gale winds. Spending any time together was always enjoyable, but being able to physically show their love for one another, being able to cement that emotional connection with their bodies always made the two women feel so much closer and undeniably more connected.

Hooking a leg over her wife's she rolled them over, successfully pinning Callie beneath her. "I have no idea why we ever stopped doing _that_," she said as she leaned down and nipped at the sensitive skin covering Callie's collar bone, eliciting a yelp of pleasured pain. "I can promise you right now, though. . .we're _never _stopping again," she growled as she quickly made her way down Callie's body, desperate for their night of passion to continue.

* * *

The following morning, Callie leaned on her elbow, her head in her hand as she stared down at her sleeping wife. Sighing contentedly, she leaned down to lay a series of gentle kisses down the smooth ivory skin covering her spine. Continuing to watch Arizona sleep, she contemplated the events of the past couple months. She realized that right then – in that moment – that she felt more grounded and secure in their relationship than she had in a very long time. The previous day had been amazing – and not just because they had made love until the wee hours of the morning – but more importantly, because they had finally reconnected with each other both emotionally and physically. Arizona had given her exactly what she needed. She had shown her that she still wanted and craved her and if the way her wife had writhed against her tongue while hoarsely screaming her name was any indicator, she had also successfully quelled her doubts about being able to bring the blonde the pleasure she too desired.

"You only watch me sleep when something's up," Arizona mumbled, never opening her eyes.

Callie chuckled, briefly pecking her wife's lips before turning to settle onto her back, a playful grin remaining on her lips.

"You're in a good mood after only. . ." Arizona trailed off reaching across her wife's naked body to grab her phone from the nightstand. ". . .four hours of sleep," she groaned, her eyes immediately closing again as she tossed the phone behind her to bounce on the king size bed before burrowing herself further into the warmth of the comforter and her wife's body.

"Mmm hmm," Callie replied cheekily as she rolled back onto her side to face her wife. Nuzzling her nose against the side of Arizona's face, she nipped at her earlobe. "I got lucky last night."

Arizona smiled contentedly, her thoughts immediately moving to the previous night - and that morning's - events. Turning her head, she captured the Latina's full lips with her own. "Mmm. Me too," she hummed once she pulled away. "And it was _awesome_."

Callie smiled as she gently nuzzled her nose against her wife's. "Agreed," she replied as she pecked at her lips. "But there is a downside to all of this, you know."

"Oh, really?" Arizona countered, her eyebrows rising. "What's that, exactly?"

Callie rolled onto her back, holding the sheet against her naked breasts, a playful grin never leaving her face. "After the things you did to me last night, I'm not sure I'll be able to walk around the city today. It's a lot of walking, you know. So, I was thinking that we may just have to stay in bed. All. Day. Long."

A dimpled grin lit Arizona's face as a bark of laughter rumbled from within her chest. Rolling on top of her wife, she captured her mouth with urgency. "I'm sure that could be arranged."

* * *

Arizona held Callie's hand as they wheeled their baggage behind them, dodging other travelers who were boarding their own flights. After spending four more hours the previous day not only making love, but chatting and laughing with each other in bed, both women genuinely enjoying the other's presence, they extracted their sore and completely sated bodies from the bed to spend the last full day of their trip exploring the city.

Hand in hand, they marveled at the works in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, snuggled together as they took a horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park, and enjoyed another less than innocent make out session atop the Empire State Building. Their evening had also included a lovely dinner and tickets to a revival of _Barefoot in the Park, _followed by another life affirming night spent making love in the large garden tub and king size bed of their hotel room.

Baggage checked and boarding passes now in hand, Arizona navigated them through the sea of busy travelers on their way to their various destinations across the globe. Looking up at the screens to see the departure information, Arizona moved left as Callie moved right, their joined hands jerking them to a halt. "Where are you going, Arizona?" Callie asked as she stepped closer to her wife. "Our gate is this way," she stated, hitching her thumb over her shoulder to the right.

"No it's not, Calliope," Arizona argued. "I know how to navigate my way through an airport," she stated defensively.

Callie regarded her wife skeptically, but followed her nonetheless. "Are you sure we're going the right way," she asked moments later.

Arizona rolled her eyes, exhaling an exaggerated breath. "Yes, Callie," she admonished as she tugged her along by the hand.

"I swear we passed the flight to Seattle like ten gates ago," Callie groaned when Arizona finally pulled them to a stop.

"You're right, maybe we did," she replied sheepishly.

"Wh-what's going on, Arizona?" Callie asked suspiciously, her perfectly manicured eyebrows rising. Past events caused her to feel anxious in airports, and her wife's strange behavior certainly wasn't helping. "You're acting weird. What are you doing?"

"Shhh!" Arizona insisted, turning toward her wife, a dimpled grin gracing her features. Pointing upward, she tilted her head to the side, straining to hear the announcements for departures overhead.

"Arizona. . ."

"Callie! Shhh!"

Callie watched Arizona questioningly before turning her head in confusion toward the gate. "Why are you. . ."

_"Good afternoon," _an overhead announcement began, interrupting her annoyed retort. "_This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 66 to Barcelona, Spain. We are now inviting those passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you."_

With her mouth falling open, Callie slowly dragged her gaze back toward her wife who was smiling like a fool. "Umm. . .Arizona?"

* * *

**AN2: **Hmm. . .?


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **Ready to Love Again

**Author:** HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Collaborator:** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing:** Callie/Arizona

**Rating:** M/NC-17

**Summary:** After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer: **All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **Glad everyone enjoyed the little surprise at the end of the previous chapter. Thanks for continuing to read and review/comment. I'm so glad everyone is continuing to enjoy this story.

**AN2: **As always, a huge thank you to Funkyshaz57 for all of her help.

* * *

Callie stared at the grinning woman standing before her. "Wh-what? I. . .umm. . .I don't know what to say."

"Just say that you're ready to board an airplane bound for ten uninterrupted days of fun in the sun with your wife, Calliope," Arizona replied without hesitation. "Or just take my hand and don't say anything at all."

Callie skeptically squinted her eyes, but was completely unable to hide the excitement that now threatened to erupt from within. "This is just. . .well, it's just. . .a lot to take in."

"Well, hurry up and take it in, pretty lady, because we only have about. . ." Arizona looked down at her watch, "six minutes left until it's time for us to board," she replied before leaning up to kiss her stupefied wife on the lips.

"I'm just so, _so. . ._well, I'm a little bit in shock," Callie admitted. "I mean, really? All of this? For me?"

Arizona regarded her wife momentarily, wondering how Callie would have reacted to this had the Natalie incident not occurred. Taking her hand into hers, she pulled her along behind her to take a seat in the hard plastic chairs of the waiting area near their departure gate. "Look," she began, tilting her head to one side. "I've had all of this planned for months. Since your birthday - since Sofia started back to school - since everything started going haywire in our life," Arizona rolled her eyes with a flourish of her hand. "This has nothing to do with what _happened_ recently. Well, I guess it does, in a way. . .but those_ events _are just even more proof that we need to take this trip, Calliope - that we need to spend some time together just being us and just being in love."

Callie let out an exaggerated sigh, nodding her head in agreement.

"Besides," Arizona continued before Callie could get a word in. "If you were a better _spy_, you would have already known about this part of our trip," she teased, nudging her wife with her shoulder.

Callie's mouth fell open, her eyes going wide. "Oh, ha ha," Callie scoffed. "Very funny, Arizona."

"What?" she asked sheepishly, taking in her wife's slightly dejected expression. "Oh, come on, Callie," she said as she stood, pulling her wife along with her. "That was funny. You have to admit _that_ was a little bit funny."

"Not funny," Callie scolded, though she couldn't hide the amusement that crept into her eyes. "Definitely not funny."

"It was, too."

"Nope. Not laughing."

Arizona pursed her lips, her bright blue eyes twinkling. "Well, I personally think it was hilarious."

* * *

"I know I've said this like a million times already," Callie said, her face buried in the SkyMall Airline Catalog. "But, I really can't believe we're going to Spain. We've talked about a trip like this for. . ._forever. What has it been? Like nine years? Why did we wait so long?"_

When her comments went unanswered, Callie looked up from her reading, turning to the window seat of the plane to see her wife's head propped against a pillow, glasses still resting on her nose as she slept soundly. Sighing at the sight, a smile graced Callie's lips. Reaching out, she gently removed the spectacles from her wife's face, careful not to disturb her slumber. Taking the magazine that had fallen to her wife's lap, Callie tucked it away in the pouch at the back of the seats in front of them.

Settling back into her seat, Callie continued to study her wife who was ever so quietly snoring her adorable little snore. She looked so peaceful during slumber, like she had no cares in the world, no worries on her mind, no burdens to bear. Thinking back, Callie couldn't recall the last time she saw her wife looking so content - so peaceful, so at ease. The past weeks and months were such a blur, they had passed by in the blink of an eye, and Callie regretted that she had lost that precious time with the love of her life. They both had been on autopilot - just going through the motions like a well-oiled machine. With the exception of their time spent in NYC, Callie couldn't recall the last time she saw that mischievous sparkle in her wife's eyes or the popping of those adorable dimples that she had fallen in love with so many years before.

Callie sighed, wondering what had happened. If she was honest with herself, she already knew the answer to that question.

Work happened.

Sofia's schooling and extracurricular activities happened.

Both necessary, but both extremely time consuming. They had gotten themselves _so_ caught up in these things, that they had actually failed themselves. They had failed each other and forgotten that they too, were important.

The trip to New York and now, this unexpected, but incredible surprise, only made Callie more determined to show her wife how much she wanted them to get back on track - to simply go back to being them. She was still a little shocked that Arizona had gone to so much effort for her - for them - although, the more she thought about it, the less surprised she really was. There had never been anyone in her life who loved her like Arizona Robbins did. There had never been anyone who had taken care of her, cherished her, and loved her so unconditionally.

The thought and planning that had gone into this trip, the way Arizona had worshipped her body while in NYC, the way she held her hand and looked into her eyes made Callie feel like the luckiest woman - no, the luckiest _person_ - alive.

Callie smiled, a breathy chuckle leaving her throat as she thought back on her life. Who could ever have imagined that she would find someone who would love her, not betray or abandon her, in a dirty bar bathroom. Someone who didn't just live her, but someone who would tell her and show her each and every day of her life just how much she that was worth loving.

Callie leaned over, laying a gentle kiss on her wife's cheek. Their life together had been a journey to say the least. Together, they suffered. Together, they lost. Together they loved, and together they triumphed. They had faced so many obstacles in the ten years they had been together that at times, Callie wondered how they had managed to overcome them all.

Just one look at Arizona was all it took for her to realize how.

Arizona made her feel whole. She made her feel alive, and she made her feel like the only person who mattered. Callie still couldn't deny how incredibly lucky she felt that Arizona had forgiven her and that they were slowly moving past the accusations and hurt they had recently weathered. Even after all of that, Arizona still looked at her like she hung the moon. Not wanting to dwell on that, Callie closed her eyes, clearing her mind of those thoughts. She was determined to show her wife exactly how grateful she was that she was in her life and how privileged she felt to be the one she loved.

With thoughts of sipping Sangria while ogling her beautiful wife in a bikini and with visions of making love to her on the beach, in the ocean, and just about anywhere else, Callie laced her fingers through her wife's and closed her eyes, settling in for a refreshing and restorative nap in preparation for their next adventure together.

* * *

The rubber of tires touching down on the asphalt tarmac jolted Arizona from sleep. Slightly disoriented, she took in her surroundings, wondering where she was. Rubbing her eyes in an attempt to shake the sleep from her system, she looked to her left to find her wife quietly snoozing beside her. As the plane came to a rumbling stop, she carefully attempted to wake her unconsciously drooling wife.

"Wake up, pretty lady," she coaxed as she leaned over to gently kiss a tanned cheek.

Callie flinched slightly at the intrusion into her dreams. "Mmmm. . .hey. Are we there, yet?" she croaked out as she sat up, groaning at the stiffness in her neck from her uncomfortably positioned nap.

"We are," Arizona replied, laying a chaste kiss onto her wife's lips. "How'd you sleep?" she asked as she stood from her seat to retrieve their bags from the overhead compartment.

"My neck is killing me," Callie stated, rubbing it with her hand. "But, I feel rested. _Someone_ wore me out over the past couple days" she continued with a wink, standing to assist her wife. "My body clearly needed the rest."

"Well, I hope you got _enough_ rest, because I plan on wearing you out some more when we get to where we're staying," Arizona murmured, nipping at Callie's earlobe. ". . .then probably later tonight. . .and then again tomorrow, and well, you get the picture. . ." she trailed off, a sexy grin lighting up her face as images of having Callie on the beach, against the wall, and over the sofa popped into her mind.

Callie tipped her head back, a throaty laugh emanating from her chest. Grabbing her bag and her wife's hand, she tugged her toward the exit of the plane. "Arizona Robbins! I swear, sometimes you have a one track mind."

* * *

Callie pulled her oversized sunglasses down her nose, surreptitiously glancing toward her wife who sat in the driver's seat of their rental car. "Umm, babe? You sure you know where you're going?" she asked as she slid the dark glasses back over her eyes, watching as Arizona muttered to herself, shaking her head back and forth as she fiddled with the GPS.

"Of course I do, Calliope! I'm not an idiot!" she snapped.

Callie pressed her lips together into a firm line, attempting to stifle her amusement at her clearly flustered wife. Shrinking back into her seat, not wanting to anger the blonde any further, she pulled the map back up in front of her face. She knew Arizona wasn't really mad at her, but frustrated instead. She didn't have the best sense of direction and, being a perfectionist to a fault didn't help matters when she was faced with the fact that she may have gotten them lost on the way to their vacation destination.

Relaxing further into her seat, trusting that her wife would get them to wherever it was that they needed to be, Callie folded the map into her lap, choosing instead to take in the scenery around her. The city center was only a short drive from the airport and from the small glimpse she got, it appeared vibrant and full of life. She hoped Arizona had a day of shopping planned for them because that was definitely on her to do list.

They passed Barcelona Beach as soon as they arrived in the city and from what she had heard, it was one of the most popular beaches in the area. As they drove, Callie couldn't help but notice that they were drawing further and further away from the hustle and bustle of the touristy section of the city with each passing mile.

"Yes!" Arizona cheered when the voice on the GPS confirmed that they were heading in the right direction. "Not far now. I knew it was around here somewhere."

Reaching over and affectionately squeezing the blonde's hand, Callie smiled, looking out the window as Arizona navigated them onto the coastal road - Ronda del Litoral - subsequently passing yet another beach.

"When I was younger, Daddy brought us to San Sebastian, but I've never been to this part of Spain. I didn't realize how many beaches there are," Callie marveled. "It's _really_ beautiful here."

Arizona nodded her head, her eyes hidden behind aviator sunglasses as she concentrated on the road. "That beach over there," she said, taking her hand from the wheel to point to her right. "Is called Nova Mar Bella. I did a little research, and supposedly it's most popular with women and. . .people like me."

Callie turned her head toward her wife. "People like _you_?" she asked in confusion.

"Yeah," Arizona stated with a grin. "It's got great facilities for those with disabilities. Plus, it's only a short walk from where we're staying."

Callie opened her mouth to speak, but sighed instead. Her wife was the strongest, most resilient person she had ever met. She had come so far. They had come so far. Just to look at her, no one in the world could tell that she was technically disabled, but there were times when things were still just _so_ hard.

Ten minutes later, Arizona turned off Ronda del Litoral, maneuvering their black SUV down a sandy path. Callie eagerly took in her surroundings, pleased that she soon would get a glimpse of where they would be staying. "Is that it?" she excitedly asked as a small bungalow surrounded by lush vegetation came into view.

Arizona smiled, driving closer to the house. "Yep," she cheerfully replied, throwing the car into park and immediately hopping from within.

Callie followed closely behind, excited to check out their new digs. The small house had a large outdoor terrace with a swimming pool and sunny garden, a dramatic panoramic backdrop of not only the Mediterranean Sea, but of Muntanya de Montserrat off in the distance. The villa appeared to be comfortable and sunny with mountains and sea combined to perfection in its own private area.

Grabbing Arizona's hand as she pushed her sunglasses up onto her head, Callie gasped as they entered their new home away from home. Though the house appeared small and quaint from the outside, the interior was two levels with high ceilings, tasteful modern furniture, and a large kitchen and living area that lead directly to the terrace and solarium.

"You sure do know how to show a girl a good time," Callie teased as she pulled her wife up the stairs to where she assumed the bedroom was located. Opening a large white door to her right, Callie's eyes went wide at the view before her. The bedroom was open and airy, large patio doors opened wide onto the balcony overlooking a private beach with a breathtaking view of the sea and the countryside.

"I have my moments," Arizona replied cheekily as she led Callie out onto the large balcony. Inhaling deeply, she reveled in the intoxicating scents that filled her nose. The smell of air lightly scented with the foliage around them - mimosa, iris, jasmine, and bay leaf - fresh and very low key floral, easy, and breezy with the most realistic smell of salty sea air she had ever experienced.

Callie reached out, pushing Arizona's sunglasses up to rest on her head before placing her hands on her hips, turning the blonde to face her. "Why did we wait so long to come here?"

"Oh, let me think?" Arizona replied coyly, the list of reasons a lengthy one. "Babies versus no babies, a crazed gunman, Carter Madison Grant, Africa, unplanned pregnancy, car accident, Sofia, plane crash, law suit, bankrupt hospital, no flying for three years. . ."

"Enough," Callie interrupted, placing a finger to her wife's lips to shush her. "It was a metaphorical question," she replied with a roll of her eyes.

"And that was just the first four years."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Callie walked out the opened doors leading to the terrace. Tray of drinks in hand, sunglasses covering her eyes, and floppy straw hat shielding her from the sun, she walked the few steps to the pool. Rounding a pomegranate tree, she smiled at the sight before her.

It wasn't the mid afternoon sun hanging in the sky or the sprawling expanse of the Mediterranean Sea before her that made her smile. In fact, it had nothing to do with their location at all, and everything to do with the woman she loved lounging by the pool.

Arizona wore a blue halter top bikini, aviator sunglasses, and a cute fedora on her head, her prosthesis propped up against her chair. Stepping closer, Callie chuckled softly at the sight of her wife, brow furrowed and worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she attempted to read the_ El Periódico de Catalunya _Newspaper. "Need some help there, babe?" she asked as she set her tray down onto a nearby table. "You know, this place does have Wi-Fi. I'm sure we could get you _USA Today _or _The Seattle Times_ on my iPad if I'm already boring you."

Arizona looked up from the paper, playfully sticking out her tongue, prompting Callie to quickly lean in to capture the blonde's lips and tongue with her own. "Too tempting to pass up," Callie murmured against pink lips when she finally allowed them both to come up for air. Reaching behind her, she grabbed a wine glass from the tray. "Sangria for you, my dear," she said with a megawatt smile before sitting down on the side of her wife's chair.

Taking a sip from her glass, Arizona hummed her approval as the cool liquid met her tongue.

"Not bad, huh?" Callie teased as she pulled her floral bathing suit cover off her body to reveal a strapless black tankini.

Arizona regarded her wife, her wandering eyes hidden behind the mirrored lenses of her sunglasses. "It's amazing," she said, unconsciously licking her lips as she ogled the Latina's body.

Callie smirked at the blonde before moving to straddle her hips. Sitting back on her heels, she took her wife's glass and then the newspaper that had dropped to her lap, depositing them both on a small table between their chairs. Not saying a word, she removed her own hat and sunglasses before leaning in to kiss the sun warmed skin covering her wife's clavicle. Moving further down Arizona's chest, she playfully nipped at quickly hardening nipples evident through the thin fabric of her bikini top. "Mmm, Callie," she moaned, unable to resist the urge to tangle her fingers in thick brunette tresses to keep her wife in place.

"Do you like that, baby?" Callie husked, turning her attention to the other breast. Arizona only gripped her wife's hair more tightly, urging her southward. "Is there something you'd like, sweetie?" Callie teased as she blazed a trail of hot kisses from the center of the blonde's chest down toward her belly button. "Is there a particular reason why you're tugging at my hair?"

"Don't be smug," Arizona breathed out, her breath catching in her throat when she felt her wife nuzzle her nose against her center through the fabric of her suit.

Callie chuckled against her wife's core before pulling down her bathing suit bottoms. Bringing the backs of the blonde's thighs to rest over her shoulders, she wasted no time diving in. With a wicked grin on her face, she looked up at her wife, blue eyes still covered by her sunglasses, but with her mouth slightly agape and her hands now tightly gripping the arms of her chair, Callie could tell that she was certainly enjoying herself.

Callie toyed with her wife's folds, prompting Arizona to clench her legs around her head, wanting more. Brushing her bare thighs with her fingertips, Callie felt goose bumps rise over them as Arizona lifted her hips up to her face, eager to feel more pressure where she needed it most.

Dipping her tongue into her moist opening, Callie reveled in the feeling of her wife surrounding her tongue as she throbbed with pleasure. Spreading her labia with her thumb and index finger, Callie savored the view, glistening pink folds now dripping with arousal, a perfect clit popping out from under its hood. Replacing her tongue with the tips of two fingers, Callie gently pressed them deep into her wife before removing them part way only to thrust them back in again.

Arizona's body arched at the sensation of being filled so perfectly, curses escaping her mouth as Callie's tongue explored her clit, flicking up and down before moving in a circular motion that never failed to make her wife scream.

"God, baby!" Arizona groaned, one hand leaving the arm of the chair to once again tangle in wavy locks. "Shit!" she panted.

Callie curled her fingers, stimulating her wife's internal walls, eliciting louder expletives to leave her beautiful mouth. Feeling her wife's excitement rise to a near breaking point, Callie honed in on her clit, alternating between exaggerated licks and intense sucks.

"Ohh!" she screamed. "Oh, fuck!"

"God, you taste so good!" Callie moaned against her wife's aching core, her sexy voice muffled against velvety skin.

Unable to speak any further, Arizona was reduced to primitive grunts and heavy breathing before her world suddenly exploded, one loud guttural moan ripping from her chest as her center began to quiver, contracting rapidly around her wife's skilled fingers.

Callie continued to suckle at her clit, milking every possible ounce of pleasure from within as she lapped at her folds, Arizona's hips rocking with a steady rhythm. "Callie," she finally husked tugging her wife upward, her clit becoming too sensitive for further stimulation in its post orgasmic state.

Seductively crawling up her wife's sated form, Callie reached out for her Sangria, bringing the beverage to her lips for a drink before capturing her wife's mouth with hungry urgency.

Arizona fed from the tangy sweetness of her wife's lips, savoring the flavor of herself mixed with the fruity beverage. Removing her own hat and placing it on her wife's head, Arizona pushed her sunglasses up into her hair. "Where did that come from?" she asked, still a bit breathless.

Callie chuckled against her lips. "I think it was the sunglasses," she informed, lowering them back over her wife's eyes. "Or maybe it was the hat," she continued, removing it from her head to place it back in its rightful spot. "Oh Hell, who am I kidding?" she teased as she with a wave of her hand. "It was the whole package."

"Oh really?" Arizona questioned, slowly sliding her sunglasses down her nose and nervously looking around, suddenly worried that their private lawn and beach might not be so private.

"Yeah," Callie replied, pecking at her lips before leaning back to study her wife. "My wife is hot, and sexy, and stunning. . .and amazing. . ." Callie trailed off, her lips once again taking a southern journey.

"Well don't stop there," Arizona teased. Content that their escapades were not being viewed by prying eyes, she relaxed further into her chair. "Please continue."

* * *

"He's what?" Arizona shouted into the telephone later that night.

"Pop-Pop is taking me to sign up for basketball," Sofia replied happily.

"Sofia Robbin!" Arizona admonished. "We agreed that you were going to continue your piano lessons and dance classes. ONLY! I thought you wanted to take acting lessons in the spring."

"I want to do that, too," Sofia replied innocently. "But Pop-Pop says that basketball will help with my endurance for soccer."

Callie sat down next to Arizona, concerned with her wife's reaction to her conversation with their daughter. "What's going on?" she whispered.

Arizona rolled her eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh. "We'll talk about this when we get home, okay, Sof?"

"I gotta go, momma," Sofia said, before Arizona heard the slamming of a car door through the phone.

"Whoa. Wait," Arizona hastily replied. "At least tell mommy you love her."

Arizona quickly handed the phone to Callie. "Hey, baby girl. Are you having fun with Grandma and Pop-Pop?"

"I'm a little busy, mommy," Sofia replied without a care in the world.

Callie raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Well, I guess we'll let you go, then," she relented. "Love you. . ."

"Love you, mommy," Sofia interrupted excitedly. "Love you, momma!" she then shouted into the phone so that Arizona could hear before the line immediately went dead.

Callie slowly lowered the phone from her ear. "Well, that was interesting," she stated with a sigh. "What's going on."

"You don't want to know."

Callie laughed. "Well, I'm going to find out, eventually. Might as well be now."

Arizona stood from her seat on the couch. "My dad is signing her up for basketball, AND she _still_ wants to take piano, tap, and acting lessons."

"Oh," Callie said, pressing her lips into a firm line. "So you're saying we should probably enjoy this vacation while it lasts, huh?"

"Yep," Arizona replied, reaching for Callie's hand. "Because when we get home, we're going to be even busier than we were before."

Callie allowed Arizona to guide her out the doors leading to the terrace and then down a few steps to their own private beach. "Let's walk," Arizona requested, guiding her wife down the beach.

Callie smiled. She would trust Arizona to lead her anywhere. They walked in companionable silence for several moments, both lost in the sounds of the whispering waves crashing against the shore, the sandy ground beneath them muffling their footsteps. "You okay?" Callie asked into the night.

Arizona paused momentarily before turning to stare into the great expanse of the sea. "I'm sorry," she began. "It's nothing."

Callie allowed her wife some space before stepping up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist and resting her chin on the blonde's shoulder. "Talk to me, sweetie."

Arizona sighed. "It's just one more thing, you know?"

Callie lifted her chin, looking to the side of her wife's face. "You mean the basketball?" she asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "My dad never should have. . ."

"It's fine, babe," Callie assured her. "He's just excited to be spending time with her, and she's obviously enjoying it, too. I'm glad she has him - I'm glad she has both of your parents in her life."

Arizona shook her head, turning in her wife's arms. "Callie, the other week, when you. . ." she trailed off gathering her thoughts. "It was awful. I felt awful. I've never felt like that before in my entire life," she cleared her throat. "Things are just starting to get back to the way they used to be with us, and I'm just afraid that we won't be able to handle another thing."

Callie nodded her head, not surprised that her wife wasn't completely rid of the feelings of hurt and anger she experienced at her accusations of infidelity. "Arizona, I'll never be able to take back what I did. I'll never be able to take that hurt away, but I promise you that I'll spend the rest of my life trying," Callie stated honestly. "You said yourself that we already know what we need to do to keep our marriage strong, we just have to actually do it. It's important for us to talk about work, and-and Sofia, and all the other practicalities of life, but it's also important for us to spend time together simply enjoying each other's company like we did when we first met."

Arizona nodded her head, agreeing with her wife one hundred percent. "I don't want to keep feeling like this, and I'm trying Callie, I really am."

"I know, sweetie," Callie replied, tucking wind swept hair behind her ear. "You've done so much more than I ever deserved. . ."

"No, Calliope," Arizona argued. "Maybe _I_ didn't do enough. Maybe that's what got us into this position in the first place."

Callie shook her head. "I'm not going to let you take all the blame for this, Arizona. We're going to enjoy this wonderful vacation you planned for us, and we are going to fix what _we_ broke together. The busyness of our lives, particularly with all of Sofia's stuff. . ." Callie trailed off, rolling her eyes as a soft chuckle left her lips. "It certainly makes it difficult to purposely make time to be together without a particular agenda or purpose, but we can do it. We've been through way worse than this, don't you think?"

A rueful laugh erupted from within Arizona chest. "I'd say that's a valid observation, yes," she replied teasingly, the heaviness of her mood beginning to lift.

Callie smiled, glad that the lightness of the past few days spent together hadn't completely vanished. "When we spend all day being kick ass surgeons and responsible parents, planning schedules, giving advice, or dealing with _controversies_ at work, it's hard to switch into anything else, but we can do it. You and I can do anything together."

Arizona smiled, leaning up to gently brush her lips against Callie's cheek. "Because I love you, and you love me and none of the rest of it matters, right?"

"Sounds familiar," Callie teased, playfully shrugging her shoulders.

Arizona kissed full smirking lips. "Come on," she said as she pulled her wife back toward their bungalow. "It's late, and I have big plans for us tomorrow."

* * *

**AN3: **A little different from previous chapters. . .perhaps a little fluffier. ) Let me know what you think! Hope you have a great weekend!


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **Ready to Love Again

**Author:** HandsThatHeal

**Co-Collaborator:** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing:** Callie/Arizona

**Rating:** M/NC-17

**Summary:** After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer: **All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **Thank you to everyone for their continued interest in this story. I sincerely enjoy reading each and every one of your reviews and comments. Also, a big thank you to my friend Funkyshaz57 for all of her help and encouragement!

**AN2: **Warning: I probably wouldn't open this at work. ;) Enjoy!

* * *

Arizona rolled onto her side, her left arm blindly reaching out in search of her wife. Finding nothing but a cool starched sheet under her palm, she slowly opened her eyes. She had awakened wrapped in Callie's arms for the past three days, and that absence on this particular morning concerned her. Sitting up in the bed, she held the white sheet to her naked breasts, her eyes scanning the room and the outdoor balcony for any sign of her missing lover.

Arizona sighed, worried that their conversation the previous night had put a damper on the progress they had made. She was trying - she really was - but sometimes it was just so difficult to forget what had happened. She could forgive, in fact, she was positive that she had already done so, but forgetting was an entirely different feat.

Maybe she should have kept her mouth shut. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything to her wife, but when she found out from Sofia that there was going to be one more thing they were going to have to contend with in their already overloaded schedules, she was wholly unable to process how they were going to manage. She was worried that all of their progress would be for naught and that they would be right back in the same spot they were in just a couple weeks prior.

Arizona closed her eyes, throwing herself back down onto the mattress. She was glad she had spoken up about her feelings and her fears to her wife - it felt good to have such open communication - but a part of her couldn't help but worry about the fall out. Maybe that was why their marriage had survived so long. They didn't talk about what they were feeling, so there was usually nothing to disagree about.

Arizona shook her head. That thought was simply preposterous. Lack of communication was what had gotten them into such a predicament in the first place, and she vowed that _that_ would never happen to them again. She had revealed her feelings to her wife, and now they were just going to have to deal with them - with the repercussions of her thoughts - like two grown adults. Maybe they would argue, maybe they would fight, but ultimately, they would come out better for it.

The fact that Callie was absent from their bed this morning, however, did little to quell her fear that maybe she had said too much. Callie seemed to have responded to what she said with such maturity and grace the previous night and they had even made love well into the morning hours, but maybe now - in the light of day - things appeared differently to her.

Arizona's silent reverie was interrupted by a grinning face peeking through the bedroom door. "You awake?" Callie called as she entered the room, serving tray in hand.

Arizona sat back up in the bed, propping herself up on pillows against the headboard. "Yeah," she replied quietly as she looked around the room. "Can you toss me a shirt?" she requested.

Callie set the tray down on the dresser before glancing around the room for an article of clothing that belonged to her wife among the garments that had been hastily thrown to the floor the previous night. Tossing a royal blue tank top in Arizona's direction, she grinned as she once again grabbed the tray. "I made you breakfast," she murmured as she sat it on her wife's lap, leaning in for a good morning kiss.

"Mmm, morning," Arizona hummed against moist lips. "Thank you," she replied as she looked toward the items on her tray, her crystal blue eyes going wide at the sight of the spread laid out before her. "What do we have here?"

Callie smiled as she pointed to the various items on the tray. "Esto es magdalenas, torrijas, fruta, jugo de naranja y café con leche."

"Hmm," Arizona smirked, raising one eyebrow. "That didn't really answer my question, but I think only _you_ could make breakfast sound _so_ sexy."

A throaty laugh emanated from Callie's chest as she settled herself closer to her wife on the bed. Picking up the fork, she offered Arizona a bite of the food on the plate. Laughing together, they shared bites of the meal until Arizona noticed a pen and a notebook covered with Callie's familiar handwriting lying on the tray. "What's this," Arizona asked as she motioned toward the paper with one hand and sipped from her café con leche with the other.

"Oh!" Callie said, swallowing a sip of orange juice as she grabbed the items from the tray. "I almost forgot."

Arizona questioningly regarded her wife as she happily flipped through the pad of paper. "I couldn't sleep this morning," Callie admitted with a sigh. "So, after I finished at the market, I emailed your parents to see if they could give me some information about this basketball business."

Arizona groaned at the thought, shaking her head. "Callie. . ."

"Just listen a minute," Callie interrupted her wife with a knowing grin. "Your mom emailed me right back. She said the Sofia was fine and that she had just gotten her to bed."

"_And_?"

Callie rolled her eyes at her wife's annoyance and unwillingness to wait. "_And_. . .I think we're going to be able to handle this," she admitted. "It's not going to be easy, but while the magdalenas were baking, I made us a schedule."

Arizona let out an exaggerated sigh as she placed the cup of hot liquid on the tray. ". . .Or we could just tell her no, Calliope," she stated, her tone slightly more perturbed than she meant it to be.

Callie searched her wife's eyes, finding greater resistance there than she predicted she would. "I spent over an hour working on this, Arizona," she stated honestly. "Could you at least just look at it and listen to what I have to say?"

Arizona rolled her eyes, brusquely tugging the notebook from her wife's hand.

"Ok," Callie began to explain, pointing to various notes she had written on the page. "Basketball practice is on Monday and Wednesday after school, and the games are on Saturday mornings."

"Just stop right there," Arizona insisted. "We already have dance class on Wednesdays."

"Arizona," Callie warned.

Arizona closed her eyes, squeezing her temples. "Fine, go ahead," she huffed.

"Thank you," Callie quickly replied. "Piano is on Thursdays, but your mom says that Meredith was there signing Zola up for basketball, too. So, I'm thinking that we can swap rides every other week. Monday is basketball, and the acting lessons she wants to take are at 6:00pm on Tuesdays. I admit that Wednesdays are going to royally suck because we'll have basketball and dance, but then Thursday will be a simple because we'll only have piano."

"And basketball again on Saturdays," Arizona admonished.

"Yes, but nothing on Fridays or Sundays," Callie countered. "And look at this," she offered excitedly, handing Arizona her phone.

Arizona looked down at the phone in her hand, the touch screen opened to her wife's calendar app. In the app Callie had plugged in Sofia's schedule for each day along with other little ancillary notes. "Read this one," Callie insisted, pointing to a particular Monday.

"Monday: Arizona: 30 minute massage (clothing optional)," the blonde read.

"Keep going," Callie urged with a smile.

"Tuesday: Cuddling and movie of Arizona's choice (no commentary from Callie)." Arizona smirked, glancing up at her wife. "Wednesday: Arizona and Callie 30 minute coffee date at work. Thursday: Wild Card (Callie's Choice)," Arizona paused, grinning as her wife wagged her eyebrows suggestively. "Friday: Romantic dinner of Arizona's choice," she trailed off, unexplained tears welling in her eyes.

"Don't stop there," Callie scolded playfully. "Read Saturday. It's my favorite."

Arizona looked down, pressing Saturday on the touch screen. "Saturday: Arizona and Callie: Hot (and dirty) shower sex (before Sofia's basketball game)," she read, chuckling at the thought. Handing the phone back to her wife, Arizona sighed, turning slightly to fiddle with hem of Callie's t-shirt. "You really put a lot of time and effort into this, didn't you," her words more of a statement than a question.

Callie sighed, tipping her wife's chin upward with the tips of her fingers. "_You _are worth all the time and effort in the world," she stated honestly. Clearing her throat, she continued. "I know that sometimes you think my suggestions are ridiculous and that I'm a pushover when it comes to Sofia, but other than being a surgeon and _your_ wife, there is nothing I'd love more than to devote my entire life to pick-up duties, quickly stopping at the sporting goods store to replace a broken shin guard, flipping through brochures for summer camps, and weekend afternoons spent on the sidelines. I just want her to have everything and to be able to experience everything possible. She's our only baby, Arizona," she replied sadly. "I don't ever want to fail her, but at the same time, I refuse to fail you again, too."

Arizona nodded her head in understanding, this communication thing was _pretty_ amazing. Maybe they weren't as terrible at it as she thought. "She's wonderful, Calliope. Our little girl is perfect," she said, reaching out to lightly brush her fingertips over a tanned cheek. "And you haven't failed me. You're the best wife and mother any two people could have."

"Hmm, I'm not sure of that," Callie countered, turning over Arizona's hand to kiss her palm. "You're pretty great at the wife and mom thing, too. I'm pretty sure Sofia thinks that the sun rises and sets in your eyes," she replied. "Though I can't say that I blame her."

Arizona smiled as she leaned forward to gently kiss her wife's lips. Taking the phone from Callie's lap, she flicked her thumb across the screen, reopening the calendar app. "So," she began, "it's Monday, and according to this lovely little schedule you've drawn up for us, on Mondays, _Arizona_ gets a naked massage," she replied coyly before pulling her shirt up and off of her body.

Callie smirked, allowing her gaze to land on beautifully formed breasts. "Well, if it's on the calendar," she laughed, "then it's a must. No questions asked."

* * *

"Wow!" Arizona remarked as she looked out upon the gorgeous monolithic mini mountain range of Montserrat. "It's beautiful here, Callie. Just stunning."

"Montserrat has a reputation for startlingly still air - a peaceful, introspective and healing spot for those pledging themselves to God," came the voice of Adrien, their private tour guide for the day who spoke English surprisingly well. "Thus, the monastery. It's a strange mish-mash of spiritual site and tourist mecca, but it works, besides itself."

"It's lovely," Callie agreed. "The cathedral is marvelous and the Catalonian countryside is amazing."

The couple had departed their bungalow earlier that day, heading from Barcelona straight to Montserrat. On arrival they visited the Sanctuary of Moreneta and had the opportunity to enjoy one of Europe's oldest children's choirs, La Escolania de Montserrat before visiting the fascinating Museum of Montserrat, with its five art collections ranging from Archaeology from the Biblical East to Modern Painting and Sculpture.

After this, they decided against mountain climbing, opting instead to take a gentle stroll around the park area, allowing them to marvel at the views and to enjoy the unspoiled beauty of the protected natural park before settling in for lunch at a cafe to savor not only the food, but the panoramic views of the valleys, as well.

"If I keep eating like this," Arizona said as she chewed a bite of the Pa amb tomàquet she and Callie had decided to share for lunch. "I'm going to have to get fitted for a bigger leg," she whispered to her wife.

"You're the same size you were ten years ago, Arizona," Callie scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I doubt this vacation is going to be your demise."

Arizona chuckled softly as she took a drink of her orxata before leaning over to kiss her wife's cheek. "You having a good time?"

Callie wiped the side of her mouth with the corner of her napkin. "I'm having an excellent time," she admitted with a megawatt smile. "Adrien is a wonderful tour guide, and nothing could be better than spending the day in such a beautiful place with the woman I love."

"Mmm, sweet talker," Arizona teased as she leaned in to capture Callie's lips with her own. Their kiss started out soft and slow, but soon became more insistent as tongues swiped against lower lips, begging entrance into the moist recesses of the other's mouth.

"Ahem. Perdone, señoras," Adrien's voice interrupted. Callie and Arizona slowly pulled away from each other, guiltily looking toward the man standing before them, "We will soon be leaving Montserrat, to drive to Sant Sadurni d'Anoia, the Cava Capital, via Gelida, to visit some of the biggest underground wine cellars in Europe."

Callie and Arizona both nodded their understanding before finishing the last of their meal and gathering their things in preparation for the next leg of their day tour.

"Maybe I was wrong," Callie said as she took one last drink from her beverage.

"What do you mean?" Arizona asked as she pulled her sunglasses down over her eyes, preparing to vacate their table.

"Really good Spanish Wine could be better than spending the day in such a beautiful place with the woman I love," she teased with a wink of her eye.

Arizona opened her mouth in mock disgust. "Rude," she said as she playfully swatted Callie's arm, but she wasn't quick enough to escape before Callie grabbed her around the waist, pulling her in for a searing kiss.

* * *

"How long has it been since we went out dancing?" Callie spoke, the volume of her voice rising to be heard over the music at La Terrazza later that night.

Arizona tipped her head to the side, sipping from the straw in her Mojito as she pondered the answer to her wife's question. "I think Sofia was five."

Callie gasped, her brow furrowing as the truthfulness to that answer sank in. "Oh my God, you're right. It was our fifth wedding anniversary."

Arizona smiled sadly. There should have been some law against not having the proper opportunity to spend quality time with the one you love. "We're going to fix that, though," she insisted as she sat her now empty glass on a nearby table. "Spending time together doesn't end with this vacation."

Callie momentarily regarded her wife, twinkling blue eyes staring into her own. Unable to resist the urge throbbing in her veins, Callie immediately leaned in, passionately claiming her wife's intoxicating mouth in a hard kiss. She pulled back for air only momentarily before lacing her fingers through the silky blonde hair at the back of Arizona's head, pulling her in for another kiss so intense that she felt a rush of wet heat pool between her thighs.

As the steady beat of the Flamenco and Catalan-rumba fusion music pulsed through the air, the heat between the two lovers rose to a blazing inferno. They got into the beat of the music with their hips seductively swaying to the rhythm, both enjoying the feeling of being pressed together so intimately, neither able to deny the arousal sky rocketing from deep within. Callie ran her hands up and down her wife's arms causing Arizona to laugh seductively as she pulled out of their warm embrace. Stepping once to the left, then to the right, then shaking her hips, she brought her arms upwards as she turned in her wife's arms.

Arizona's strong hands then reached behind her, squeezing the backs of Callie's thighs as she pressed her bottom back against her wife's center, leaving the Latina utterly intoxicated by every single thrust. Reaching down, Callie pulled the blonde's arms up, lacing them around the back of her neck as her own hands grasped roughly at the material of her skin tight jeans. Tugging at her wife, Callie forced Arizona's bottom into her own throbbing center, aching to feel the delicious friction that somehow had not yet been quelled by their days of endless lovemaking.

Arizona leaned back against her wife as Callie's hands moved to cup magnificent breasts, running her thumbs over turgid nipples, feeling them grow hard underneath the fabric of her shirt and bra. "I'd love to be tracing your nipples with my tongue right now," the Latina husked against her ear.

Arizona turned in her wife's arms, dragging her gaze up and down her body, enjoying how Callie's outfit accentuated her sexy curves. The lights were turned down, setting the mood, the music becoming more and more sultry. Locals and tourists alike, danced closer and closer, but these women only had eyes for the woman dancing in front of them.

Arizona's hands moved to seductively swaying hips as she began to move in time to the same rhythm. Callie's wandering hands moved up and down Arizona's sides, tickling at her ribs before moving to stroke a sun kissed neck as she leaned forward to nip at the blonde's earlobe. Arizona's eyes fell shut, her head tipped back as she indulged in the feeling of her wife's lips on her ear, neck, and jawline.

"You're so sexy," the blonde husked into the Latina's ear. "I'm dying to know what you're wearing under this skirt."

Callie's head tipped back, her intoxicating laugh filling the air. They continued dancing, letting the music consume them as they possessively explored the other's body with insistently roaming hands. Arizona leaned forward, tracing her wife's lips with her tongue before engaging them in a long, mind numbing kiss, their tongues entwining as the kiss lasted for what seemed like an eternity.

Pressing Callie backward and flush against a large pillar of the incredible open-air club, Arizona nudged her right thigh between her wife's legs, her breasts rubbing against the Latina's as her hands moved under her short skirt, her nails digging into supple flesh, pulling her tightly against her. They pulled apart slightly as one song moved into the next, staring into each other's eyes, the sexual tension between them unprecedented.

By this point in the night, Callie had not only lost her train of thought, but all coordination, as well. With their gazes locked, she was swept out of reality on a tidal wave of emotion, like always when she looked into her wife's beautiful cerulean eyes.

Arizona smirked seductively. God, Callie was sexy. Dark and exotic, that sense of the untamed just barely suppressed below the surface. Callie's face was more mature than when they had first met, but still impossibly gorgeous. Her chocolate eyes that seemed to hold all the mysteries in the universe were now darkened with lust, her nose flaring slightly with arousal.

Callie reached up, taking Arizona's face into her hands, caressing her cheeks as she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, releasing it with an audible pop. The features of her wife's face were just as miraculous as the day they met, and after all this time, she knew every line and each texture of every spectacular feature.

Arizona hastily leaned in, kissing her wife with such fervor that Callie's knees buckled as her arousal reached insurmountable proportions. Arizona's tongue swept and swirled inside her mouth as her hips acted on their own volition, thrusting against Callie's pelvis with a fiercely insistent grinding rhythm.

Pushing against the blonde, Callie wrapped her arms tightly around Arizona's waist as she scanned the outdoor patio for the nearest exit. "We need to leave. Now."

* * *

"Jesus Christ, Callie. . ." Arizona breathed into the night as her heart pounded in her ears. "I. . .I'm trying to get us inside," she insisted breathlessly as they stood together on the terrace leading to the entrance of their bungalow.

Callie was everywhere, her lips blazing a trail of hot kisses up and down the blonde's body from behind as her hands worked on getting inside her tight, dark jeans.

"Open the door, Arizona. Now!" Callie hissed into her wife's ear. "Or I'm going to take you right up against it," she husked as she finally managed to unzip the jeans that had been taunting her all night as she watched Arizona's hips sway seductively inside them.

They had danced the night away at La Terrazza while enjoying several beverages and teasing each other relentlessly, and now, Callie was desperate to, well quite frankly, _fuck_ her wife. Seeing Arizona so confident and so, _so_ happy, swaying her hips to the beat among the throngs of people as she not to subtly rubbed against her, had done nothing but make her libido skyrocket to unimaginable limits.

"I-I'm trying," she countered as she fumbled with the key to the lock. "But someone is. . .distracting me. Oh, God," she moaned as she felt deft fingers slip inside her panties.

Callie groaned at the feeling of her wife's arousal coating her fingers. Removing her hand from Arizona's jeans, she roughly pushed against her as they toppled into the room once the blonde finally managed to open the door. "Clothes off," she demanded. Tonight wasn't about being gentle or making love, though every time they were together, they did indeed _make love_. Tonight was about pure carnal lust - the need to just take her wife, making her cry out in ecstasy as she screamed her name until she was hoarse. "Bend over."

Callie's commands elicited a whimper of pleasure from Arizona's throat. Over the years, their sex life had always been more than great - it was amazing to be honest - but after the plane crash, things had changed. They were forced to make adjustments and subsequently, the more rough and tumble moments of their love life that they had enjoyed immensely in the past, became less frequent. Slowly, however, as time passed, when the moment struck, they still enjoyed devouring each other passionately, roughly, and without remorse.

Arizona quickly slid her pants along with her now soaking panties down her legs, her own trembling hands slowing her work only slightly. She could hear Callie breathing heavily behind her and knew from the sounds she was making that she was removing her own clothing, as well. She _almost_ wanted to protest Callie's nakedness. Just _almost_, though - because tonight, she had looked like pure sex on legs, but then again naked Callie was a good look, too.

"What's taking you so long?" Callie growled as she brought her hand down hard against Arizona's ass, causing her to yelp loudly in pleasured pain. Before she could resist, Callie ripped her top from her body, leaving her standing bent forward with her hands braced against the arm of the couch, in nothing but a lacey black bra.

"Fuck, Callie. I-I. . .please touch me," Arizona begged into the darkness of the room. The lights were all turned off, but the moonlight that filtered through the multiple windows of the villa created more than enough illumination for them to see.

Reaching forward, Callie removed the remaining article of clothing from her wife's body before leaning in flush against Arizona's back, pressing her wet and pulsating center against Arizona's ass.

"You want me to touch you, huh? Why should I?" Callie teased as she harshly thrust forward causing a muffled curse to fall from her wife's lips as she reached out to steady herself.

"God, Callie! Don't be such a fucking tease," Arizona growled in reply. She was soaking wet, painfully aroused and wasn't in any mood for anything but her wife's skilled fingers inside her stroking her to perfection and making her scream.

Callie laughed into Arizona's ear as her hands snaked around her wife's body to cup heaving breasts, relishing the feeling of the blonde's nipples tightening to pebbled hardness. "Me teasing you?" Callie scoffed as she continued to pleasure herself against her wife's backside. "You were the one who was rubbing up against me all night. The one who had her hands up my dress. . .your mouth on my neck. You're the one that made me so wet on that dance floor that I nearly came right then and there," she breathed out with another insistent thrust and this time a harsh pinch to pink nipples to illustrate her point.

"Oh, God. P-please, Calliope," Arizona pled. She knew she had teased her wife tonight. She knew she had gotten handsy and more than a little naughty as they danced, but after a few drinks and with the knowledge that she was away from home where there could be no surgeries, no midnight pages, or anything else to interrupt their evening, she felt liberated and free. She wanted to let loose - she wanted to just enjoy being a wife and a woman for the night.

So she had teased. She had teased and seductively tormented her wife as she watched the lust brewing in those chocolate brown eyes. Now though, as the tables were turned, she was starting to regret her earlier actions.

"Hmmm," Callie hummed against Arizona's neck. "I like that. I like hearing you beg for it. It's so sexy and. . .so _fucking_ hot," she husked as she bit into the skin at the top of Arizona's shoulder, her hand coming down to smack her wife's tight ass twice in rapid succession.

Arizona screamed out as Callie smacked her once more, her head dropping forward. Enjoying the sight and sound of her wife squirming and whimpering before her, Callie decided to drag the torture out even further. Perhaps next time, Arizona would think twice about seducing her in public where she could do nothing about it.

"Can you feel how wet I am Arizona? Can you feel how much you turn me on?" Callie purred as she continued to tease her wife by rubbing herself against her. Deliberately dragging her breasts down the silky skin of Arizona's back, the Latina groaned loudly at the intoxicating friction she was creating. Using the blonde's body to bring herself pleasure was amazing and just so erotic that she was completely unable to stop watching Arizona's body move forward and backwards with each sensational motion.

"Yes! God. . .you feel. . .you're so fucking wet, baby. I love how hot and wet I make you," Arizona urgently ground out. While she knew when Callie set her mind to something - like teasing her horrendously - she would stick to it, but she also knew her wife's weaknesses, and Arizona talking dirty in bed just so happened to make the Latina lose all sense of willpower, making her weak in the knees.

"God. . ." Callie murmured, taking in the husky tremble of the blonde's voice as she began moving with her, encouraging her. She knew Arizona's motives, and she wanted to be able to exercise greater restraint, but she was wholly unable to deny that she had always been a sucker for a dirty talking Arizona Robbins.

"Yeah, that's right, baby. Make yourself feel so, _so_ good. I love feeling you ride me. Your breasts. . .your clit rubbing against my ass. . .mmmm," Arizona murmured.

Callie nearly came on the spot. The time for teasing was over. Without warning, she reached around and slammed three fingers into her wife's warm damp entrance, causing them both to moan loudly. The other hand grabbed a breast, squeezing roughly as she started a hard and fast rhythm of pleasuring her wife.

Breathy pants, hoarse moans, hushed gasps, and strangled profanities soon started to fall from both sets of trembling, swollen lips. Arizona's left leg shook with over-exertion, but she held on for dear life not wanting this all-consuming feeling of such exquisite pleasure to end.

Ever.

The feeling of Callie thrusting so deeply inside her depths as her other hand toyed with her rock hard nipples combined with the sensation of Callie's own voluptuous breasts rubbing against her back, her wet core against her backside was enough to make her vision hazy and her head spin.

"Fuck! God, baby. . .fuck," Arizona practically chanted, each thrust from her wife sending her closer and closer to toppling over the edge. Her breasts bounced and swayed with each driving force, her breath coming in short bursts from her now burning lungs as her legs and arms shook from the provocative effort of holding herself up.

"Yes!" Callie cried as she forced herself harder against her wife. "God. . .yes! Take it, baby. . .take it!" She could feel herself nearing her peak. Everything about this was just - so hot, so erotic, so dirty - it was quite possibly the most turned on she had ever been.

"So close. . .Callie. . .harder," Arizona desperately groaned. "More, baby!"

Determined to make her wife scream louder than ever before, Callie doubled her efforts, gripping a breast in her hand and she thrust hard into her wife, the wetness she encountered making it unbelievably easy to do so. Bringing her thumb up to meticulously stimulate her sensitive clit, she started drawing hard and fast circles over it as she continued to grind her own pulsating bundle of nerves against Arizona.

"Scream for me! I need to hear you, Arizona. Scream my name," Callie commanded as sweat dripped down her forehead, her arms straining with the effort.

"Yes, Calliope! I'm gonna come. . .for you. . .C-Callie," Arizona shouted louder than ever when her wife hit that sweet spot deep inside her.

Arizona could feel her heart pounding against her chest and her pulse racing in time with her breathing. As her inner muscles began to contract around her wife's skilled fingers, she knew that she was about to come harder than she ever had before.

"Now baby! Come for me. Now, Arizona!" Callie cried as she pushed forward one final time.

Callie's entire body tightened suddenly, her breath stolen from her chest as she felt Arizona go rigid beneath her. Callie's vision distorted as white hot pleasure assaulted every single nerve ending, muscle, and bone of her body. Holding Arizona tightly against her, she felt the blonde's body arch backward, a scream leaving moist lips as her name echoed against the walls of the bungalow.

Seconds or perhaps minutes passed as Callie milked every last bit of pleasure from both of their exhausted bodies, whispering passionate sentiments into her wife's ear. The Latina was brought out of her pleasure induced state only when she vaguely heard her wife hoarsely call her name.

"Hmm?" was all she could manage.

"I can't stand any longer, Callie," Arizona replied as her knees started to buckle.

Breathing deeply, Callie quickly wrapped both arms around her wife's waist, holding her securely as she maneuvered their bodies to allow both of them to fall to the sofa, ensuring that Arizona was safe as she did. "I've got you, baby," Callie murmured against a sweat dampened temple.

Arizona collapsed back against the Latina, as a satisfied groan left her throat. Her body felt as if she had just run a marathon - or as if she had just been fucked senseless. Even as she lay there still short of breath, the muscles in her legs burning, she felt absolutely sated and on top of the world. "That was. . .Christ, Callie. I don't even have words for what that was," she giggled as her head lay comfortably upon the Latina's chest.

Callie just hummed in agreement, still too blissed out to do much more than weakly nod her head as she murmured an incoherent acknowledgment.

They lay sprawled on the couch in comfortable silence, both content in their post coital haze, neither wanting to move from the enjoyable feeling of just lying tangled together as the moonlight shone around them.

What felt like an eternity later, Callie felt Arizona stir before moving up and off of her. "Where are you going?" she asked, perfectly content to have her wife remain on top of her as she ran her fingers gently up and down the satiny skin of her spine.

Arizona looked behind her from where she sat on the edge of the sofa. "I need to take off the leg," she replied candidly as she immediately began to unlatch the Velcro straps, quickly ridding herself of the plastic socket and cotton sleeve. "God that's better," she murmured as she returned to her position lazing about on top of her wife.

Rolling over so that her front was firmly pressed against Callie's, Arizona rested her chin between her wife's breasts as she looked up toward closed eyes. "Don't even think you're going to sleep there, Torres," she purred as she left a trail of wet kisses down the Latina's heated body.

"Arizona. . ." Callie began to contend.

Throwing Callie's legs over her shoulders, the blonde winked seductively as she placed a kiss on the inside of her left thigh. "No arguing, Calliope," she insisted. "You had your way, so now I'm going to have mine."

* * *

Hours later, Arizona jolted forward in bed, her sleep filled mind trying mightily to recognize the unfamiliar offensive sound filling the room. "Wh-what. . .Callie. . ." she hissed unintelligibly.

Callie only groaned as she rolled over in the bed.

"What the hell is that?"

"Phone. . ." Callie mumbled.

Arizona looked around the room. Neither of their phones had service in Spain, but they had purchased a Mobal International Cell Phone at the airport just in case of emergencies and for calling home to check on Sofia. Begrudgingly exiting the bed, she threw herself into her wheelchair before wheeling closer to the dresser to grab the abhorrent device. Looking down at the screen, she quickly flipped it open. "Hello?" she answered, her voice raspy from sleep and their _activities_ earlier that night.

Her eyes widened when she heard the tearful voice on the other end. "Sofia. . ."

The name falling from her wife's mouth quickly filtered into Callie's hazy mind as she too sat up in the bed. "Arizona? What's wrong?" she nervously asked as she hastily crawled across the mattress to sit on the edge of the bed in front of her wife.

"Sofia, honey. . .I can't understand you," Arizona replied, her voice cracking as a lump rose in her throat. "Slow down, baby girl. What happened?"

"Oh, God. . ."

* * *

**AN3: **Oh, boy. . .what now?


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** Ready to Love Again

**Author:** HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Collaborator:** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona

**Rating:** M/NC-17

**Summary:** After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer: **All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **As always, a big THANK YOU to Funkyshaz57 for all of her time and hard work spent on this story.

**AN2: **I'm so happy that this story is continuing to keep everyone entertained. Thanks to everyone for reading and for leaving such wonderful reviews/comments.

* * *

Callie's knees bounced nervously from her seat on the edge of the bed as she anxiously chewed on her thumbnail while Arizona paced worriedly around the room. Once Arizona was finally able to get Sofia to calm down on the phone, they found out that she had rolled her ankle at her first basketball practice and had demanded she call her moms because one, it hurt really, _really _badly and two, because her momma was the_ 'most awesome peds surgeon in the world'_, and her mommy was a _'super star with a scalpel'. _After convincing Sofia to give the phone to Barbara, Arizona made her mother promise that she would call them back as soon as they had the results of her x-rays.

"I'm just going to start packing, now," Arizona stated, impatiently throwing her arms up in the air, wondering why it was taking so long to receive another phone call from Seattle. "What the Hell is taking so long?"

"It hasn't been that long, Arizona," Callie countered. "We're not going to get a flight at this hour. Let's just wait until someone calls back, and then we can decide what to do."

"Arizona let out an exasperated sigh. "Our baby is hurt, Calliope!" she spat. "You aren't worried? I mean you of all people - as an orthopedic surgeon and her mother - should be concerned about this."

"Of course I'm concerned," Callie argued. "But it's not like either of us would be allowed to treat her right now, anyway. If it's broken or if she needs surgery, we'll _certainly_ go home, but. . ."

"No buts, Calliope. You didn't hear her on the phone. She was hurt and scared. . .and she was crying, and-and. . ."

"I couldn't _hear_ her because you wouldn't give me the phone," Callie snapped, her tone more harsh than she had anticipated. "We need all the information before we can make any decisions, so let's just. . ."

Callie's argument was interrupted by the ringing of the phone that was now lying on the bed. Arizona practically dove across the room to grab it to answer, but Callie beat her to it. "Hello?"

"Torres, it's Miranda."

"Bailey. . ."

"It looks like it's just a Grade I Inversion sprain."

"Are you sure there's no fracture?" Callie hastily asked. "Did you get a good view of the Talar dome, sometimes it can. . ."

"I think I'm perfectly capable of reading an x-ray, Torres," Miranda argued. "She's going to be fine."

Callie smiled sheepishly. "Well, I know you can read the film, Bailey, but I just. . ." She was interrupted by Arizona tearing the phone from her hand.

"Bailey. . .it's Robbins."

"Is there something I can help you with, Arizona?" Miranda asked impatiently.

"Listen," she demanded. "Sometimes it's hard to see a fracture when there's a lot of swelling. Did you get the AP view?" she asked, eagerly awaiting an answer. "You know what? Never mind. Let me speak to Karev."

"Arizona. . ." Callie began to argue.

"You think you can bully your boy into telling you something different?" Bailey questioned with a huff.

"Just let me talk to him," Arizona commanded, rolling her eyes when she heard Miranda mumble the words _ungrateful, demanding, _and what sounded something like _overbearing kid surgeon. _"Karev!" she shouted when he answered the phone, causing Callie to jump at her side.

"What, Robbins?"

"Did you get the AP view?"

"We got the AP view. . .lateral and mortise ankle x-rays," he replied gruffly. "It's just a sprain. She's fine," he insisted.

"The clinical presentation of some subtle ankle fractures can be similar to that of a sprain, though. . ." Arizona argued. ". . .and are frequently missed on initial examination."

"Give me the phone, Arizona," Callie urged, realizing her wife was taking her argument one step too far.

"I know that, Robbins. I'm not an ass," Karev countered. "She's fine. I swear. I'm going to send her home in an air cast and on crutches. Mrs. Robbins knows to ice and elevate. Everything's taken care of."

"Karev. . ."

"Give me the phone, Arizona," Callie spoke again, worried that her wife was on the verge of pissing off their friends and colleagues.

"I wouldn't send her home if she wasn't okay," Karev insisted. "It's a little swollen, and I'm sure it hurts like a bitch, but she'll be fine. She can go back to school tomorrow. . .just no basketball or dance class for a couple weeks."

"But, sometimes ankle fractures are really, _really_ tiny and easily overlooked even by the best trained eye."

"Are you saying that Dr. Bailey and I _aren't _trained?" Karev questioned.

"The phone, Arizona," Callie demanded.

"No, I'm just saying. . ."

"Arizona! Give me the damn phone," Callie spat, her patience waning.

Arizona looked up at Callie, shocked by her outburst. Harshly placing the phone into her wife's outstretched hand, she huffed. "If she has any long-term problems or residual pain because they misdiagnosed something, don't blame me, Calliope."

Callie rolled her eyes, further infuriating her wife. "Karev," Callie began. "You explained to Barbara about elevating it and an icing schedule, right?"

"Of course, Torres. I explained everything."

Callie sighed. "Thank you, Alex. Can you please put Bailey back on the phone for me?" she asked graciously.

"If you're just going to insult my. . ." Miranda huffed when she picked up the phone.

"Bailey, it's Callie," she interrupted. "Arizona and I just wanted to thank you for taking such good care of Sofia."

"Don't patronize me, Calliope," Arizona spat in the background.

"I understand that you're worried, but she's fine. Really," Miranda stated.

"Can I talk to her, please?" Callie asked.

As she waited to hear their daughter's voice on the other end of the line, she glanced toward her wife who sat on the bed, arms folded over her chest, a deathly glare in her eyes.

"Mommy?"

"Hey, big girl," Callie cooed. "Dr. Bailey and Dr. Karev said you just sprained your ankle. It's going to be okay."

"Karev gave me crutches," Sofia said excitedly. "They're so cool, but they're smaller than momma's."

Callie chuckled softly, pleased by the happy tone in her daughter's voice. Looking back toward Arizona, she sighed. "Momma and I are going to change our plans and get the first flight home that we can, okay?"

"I'm okay, mommy," Sofia replied. "Grandma and Pop-Pop promised to give me ice cream on our way home tonight and doughnuts for breakfast in the morning. Momma always says that doughnuts make things better."

"You're right, sweetie," Callie agreed. "She does say that," she sighed, taking in the anxious set of her wife's face. "If you're sure you'll be alright without us, we'll see you next week then, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good," Callie confirmed. "But, if you change your mind, I want you to call us right away. I'm going to go now, though, Sof. I'll let you talk to momma. I love you."

"Love you, mommy."

Snatching the phone out of her wife's hand, Arizona took a deep breath before coaxing her voice to come out nice, calm, and as _perky_ as possible.

"Hey baby, how are you feeling?"

"I'm good momma. Grandma is taking me to get ice cream!" Sofia exclaimed excitedly.

There was nothing like ice cream and the promise of doughnuts from Pop-Pop for breakfast to brighten her day. Sofia truly was her momma's daughter.

"That's great, Sof!" Arizona nodded with a tight smile as tears welled in her tired eyes. "Listen, Mommy and I can come home if you want. We can be there tomorrow," Arizona continued, ignoring Callie's whispered words and the roll of her eyes.

"I'm okay, momma," Sofia insisted. "You and mommy can stay. Dr. Karev told Grandma and Pop-Pop what to do, and they promised me they'd watch Disney movies with me tonight, and we're getting ice cream!" she repeated excitedly. "I can't wait! And I have crutches like yours, and they're so cool - the nurse gave me a lollipop and then Dr. Bailey gave me another one," Sofia paused, lowering her voice. "She told me not to tell you, though. She thought you would be mad about too much sugar," she continued to ramble, completely unaware of her mother's hysteria.

Arizona wasn't quite sure why she was panicking so much. Logically, she knew Sofia was fine and in more than capable hands. She couldn't quite put her finger on why she was so upset, but in that moment, all she knew was that she was indeed freaking the hell out. In a weird way, her daughter's non-stop rambling soothed her slightly as she _hmm'd_ and _uh-huh'd _in all the right places. Once Sofia finally finished filling her in on all the details, she asked to speak to her own mother.

"Hi, honey," Barbara immediately answered. "How's Spain?" she asked.

"It's fine. Whatever," Arizona offhandedly replied, not catching the hurt look that filtered onto Callie's face. "How's Sofia? Are you sure you're going to be able to handle this, Mom? Because if not, I can be home in less than twenty-four hours."

Barbara Robbins rolled her eyes on the other end of the phone. Her daughter really was something. For some who had a history of ambivalence toward motherhood, she certainly was the most over-protective mother Barbara had ever met.

"Arizona," Barbara began, her tone firm. "She's fine, and I have to say, I am a little insulted that you think I can't handle a sprained ankle," she admitted. "I did raise you and your brother. The two of you were always doing something crazy and getting hurt. You both were a walking, talking advertisement for clumsy children," Barbara said jokingly, hoping to soothe her daughter's frazzled nerves.

"Mom! I'm not talking about me _or _Tim. I'm talking about _my_ baby girl. I need to know that she's okay!" Arizona snapped back. It was very rare she spoke to her mother in such a harsh tone, but her concern for Sofia was reaching epic proportions.

"Arizona Robbins!" Barbara admonished. "I suggest you watch your tone when you speak to me, young lady. Sofia is _perfectly_ fine, and your father and I are _perfectly_ capable of looking after her," she huffed. "I'm going to hang up now. Try to enjoy the rest of your vacation, and please try not to drive poor Callie insane. Goodbye."

With that, Arizona was left with nothing but the dial tone echoing in her ear. Turning around to regard Callie for the first time in several minutes, she tossed the phone onto the bed in exasperation before angrily throwing her arms into the air. "She hung up on me!"

"No? Really? Imagine that," Callie quipped, the sarcasm evident in her tone as she glared at her wife.

"I'm glad you find this all _so_ funny Calliope," Arizona spat. "While you stand there mocking me, _our_ baby is like six _thousand_ miles away - she's on the other side of the world, and she's hurting. How can you be so uncaring about all of this?"

Callie opened her mouth to argue, but stopped - she knew snapping back would only make matters worse. Arizona was clearly shaken, but it wasn't as if she wasn't upset as well. When the phone rang hours earlier, her sleep intoxicated brain didn't register the emergency until Arizona gasped into the room. At that point, her heart went into overdrive, her imagination immediately conjuring a million different scenarios.

After speaking to Bailey and Karev, and then Sofia, she felt reassured enough to accept that her ankle was just sprained and that this was nothing serious. If she and Arizona were at home, they would be doing exactly the same thing as Barbara and Daniel. Just because they were doctors didn't change anything. There was no need for them to rush home. Sofia was fine. No broken bones, no surgery - _thank God_. She was just slightly shaken and in a bit of pain, but this was nothing that a few hours of being spoiled by her grandparents couldn't fix.

Callie just couldn't understand why Arizona was so upset. Taking a deep breath, she sat down next to her wife on the edge of the bed. "Arizona, I do care," Callie said softly. "Of course I do, but Sofia is fine. You talked to Bailey and Karev, your mom and Sofia herself. She's perfectly fine, and she will continue to be fine while we carry on with our vacation," Callie sighed when her wife didn't appear to soften. "You know if it was anything more serious, I'd be halfway to the airport by now. But, it's not. Sofia will be fine, and we need this time. We need it for us," Callie said, rising from the edge of the mattress to stand in front of her wife. "Come back to bed, babe. It's nearly five in the morning. Everything will be better in a few hours," she tried to reason with her wife. As she leaned down to place a gentle kiss against a smooth ivory cheek, she was met with nothing but open air as Arizona quickly stood and walked away.

Resigned to the fact that she was fighting a losing battle with staying calm, she snapped, her voice perhaps angrier than it should have been. "For God's sake, Arizona! Why the Hell are you being so damn ridiculous about this?"

Eyes normally filled with love and devotion snapped toward her, now filled with anger and disdain. "_Ridiculous?!_ My perfectly valid concerns are ridiculous?"

"That is not what I meant, Arizona, and you know it. Listen to me. . ." she started.

Arizona clearly didn't want to have any part of this conversation because she immediately strode to the door before shouting over her shoulder. "I really don't want to _listen _to you right now, Calliope. So, I'm going to take my _ridiculous_ self for a walk!"

Callie jumped as the bedroom door slammed shut. Throwing herself back onto the pillows she sighed. "Shit."

* * *

After three hours of fitful sleep, Callie awakened to an empty bed. Exhaling harshly, she dragged her weary body from beneath the covers before trudging down the stairs and into the main living area of the bungalow. Looking around, she spotted Arizona, her back toward her as she typed furiously on her laptop at a small desk in the corner of the room. Quietly stepping up behind her, Callie gently kissed the top of her head. "Morning," she said, the rigidity of her wife's body not going unnoticed. "What are you doing?" she asked curiously as she stretched her tense muscles.

Arizona sighed, her gaze remaining on the screen in front of her. "Just being _ridiculous_," she quipped with a shrug of her shoulders.

Callie rolled her eyes, her shoulders slumping. She really didn't want to argue about this - or anything else for that matter - while they were on vacation. Swallowing her pride, she moved to face Arizona. "Can we please not argue about this anymore?" she requested. Receiving no response from her obviously still infuriated wife, she pushed through with a change in her tactic. "Let's go somewhere fun," she offered. "We're in Spain, for goodness sake. It's just so beautiful and so, _so_ romantic. We could go shopping or-or. . .Oh! Let's go to Nova Mar Bella. You said you wanted to go to the beach there."

Arizona finally looked up toward Callie, her eyes glacial. "Oh, I do want to go there," she hastily replied. "I'm just not sure I want to go there with _you_."

Callie recoiled, Arizona's words wounding her deeply. When exactly had things gone so terribly wrong? She knew she was upset about Sofia, but all of this over a sprained ankle? She tried to remain calm, but she was hurt and angry and just couldn't stop herself. "Go by yourself, then!" she spat. "Sounds _awesome, _Arizona! You go do your thing, and I'll go do mine!" she shouted, her voice wavering slightly. As tears welled in her soulful brown eyes, she quickly wiped at them before hurrying back up the stairs and into the bedroom, harshly slamming the door behind her.

Arizona regretted her words the moment they spewed forth from her mouth. Hanging her head, she blew out a breath before moving into the kitchen to pour her wife a cup of coffee. Adding cream and sugar just the way she knew Callie liked it, she crept up the stairs to stand in front of the closed bedroom door. Listening for any movement from within, she then knocked on the door. "Callie? Can I come in?" she asked softly.

Receiving no response, she turned the doorknob, allowing herself access to the room. Callie lay in a heap in the middle of the bed, her entire body and head covered by the sheets and duvet. "Go away, Arizona," came a muffled demand. "You are mean, and you are rude, and I don't want to be around you right now."

Arizona sighed as she stepped closer to the bed. Setting the mug of hot liquid on the nightstand, she sat on the edge of the bed, her right knee bent under her. Slowly pulling back the covers, she was met with hurt, angry eyes. "I'm sorry, Callie," she stated honestly. "I-I'm just exhausted, and-and completely on edge, and concerned. I shouldn't have said what I said. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. . .please don't be mad."

"Don't be _mad_? Are you kidding me? You say something like that to me, and I'm not allowed to be angry? Who do you think you are, Arizona?"

"I don't know." Arizona shook her head. "I didn't mean what I said," she admitted with a sigh. "All I can say is that I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Callie searched her wife's face, finding nothing but the truth in her eyes and in her words. "Sofia is fine, Arizona. There's no reason why we shouldn't continue our vacation, and there certainly is no reason why you need to be so. . ._bitchy_."

Arizona began to argue, but she knew that Callie was right. Even if she was exhausted - even if she was on edge and concerned - there was no excuse for the comment she had made. Nodding her head, she reached out for the coffee she had brought as a peace offering. "I know, and I'm sorry," she sighed. "Here!" she exclaimed a little too excitedly. "Have some coffee, and then we'll go to the beach?" she offered in an attempt to rectify her earlier behavior.

Callie wasn't completely over her wife's behavior, and her feelings were still hurt, but she desperately wanted to move past this and enjoy the rest of their time alone together. Scooting up into sitting, she skeptically accepted the cup from her wife. "Did you poison this?" she asked playfully as she sniffed at the coffee.

Arizona rolled her eyes. "Just drink it so we can go."

"You sure you want to go to the beach with _me_?" she asked, a sly grin on her face as she sipped from the mug.

Arizona playfully swatted her arm before standing from the bed to enter the bathroom. "If you don't hurry, I'm leaving without you."

* * *

Callie and Arizona sat side by side in a more secluded area of the highly populated beach, their lounge chairs separated by a small table holding their drinks. While it had appeared that Arizona was all set to move forward, Callie could tell by the way she sighed and tapped her fingers against the arms of the chair that she was definitely not content or happy to be there. "You want another drink?" she asked when she saw her wife shift anxiously in her chair for the fifth time in as many minutes.

Arizona glanced over with a slight smile. "Just a bottle of water, please," she replied.

Callie threw her legs over the side of the chair, reaching into her bag to grab her bathing suit cover-up. "Anything else?" she asked once it was smoothed down over her body.

Arizona continued to look out over the waves, only shaking her head slightly in response. When Callie walked away, Arizona allowed her gaze to follow her wife down the beach to a small outdoor bar not twenty feet from where they were sitting. Her eyes lingered on the form of her wife - beautiful caramel skin darkened further by their days in the sun, long brunette locks that perfectly framed her face, and a figure that was simply to die for. She might not have been in the best of moods, but there was no denying the beauty and just plain _hotness_ of her wife.

Arizona really wanted to move past this latest argument they had engaged in, but the problem was, she was completely unsure how. She wasn't even exactly sure why she was acting the way she was or why she was feeling this way.

Logically, she knew that Sofia was fine. More than fine. She also knew that Callie cared just as much as she did, but there was just something inside of her that was gnawing away at her insides and making her act like a grumpy, sullen teenager.

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to chase her worries from her mind, she focused back on her wife. Callie really was stunning and Arizona had, up until the early hours of that morning, not only enjoyed every single second of _reconnecting_ with her, but also every single part of her wife's glorious body. Looking at Callie now as she leaned casually against the bar, her hip jutting out to one side, her wavy hair blowing slightly in the breeze, Arizona felt her internal struggle begin to calm as some very non-PG thoughts filled her mind.

As fast as those risqué thoughts entered brain, they were suddenly distorted as she watched a man approach her wife, standing close enough to her to make Arizona twitch, her eyes narrowing. It seemed that she wasn't the only one on the beach to notice the beauty of her wife. Watching this man blatantly hit on Callie, she felt all the anger and irritation she had been feeling since Sofia's phone call come flooding back. Raising her sunglasses from her eyes, she saw red as she watched this stranger lean in close to whisper something into Callie's ear. She was about two seconds from charging over to the bar and throwing her prosthesis at him, but before she could move, she watched as Callie shook her head politely before moving away from him.

Arizona tried to reign in the overwhelming sensation of anger she was now feeling, but her efforts were fruitless. She was sure she was going crazy, her emotions a million places at once, with no logical understanding of why.

"Hey," Callie called as she approached their chairs. "Here's your water," she continued as she took a sip from her own glass of Sangria. Unaware of the dramatic swing in her wife's mood, she placed the drinks on the table between them before lying back down on her chair.

"Thanks," Arizona quipped. "You sure you didn't want to stay and have a drink with your new friend?" she spat petulantly, not even bothering to hide her jealousy or disdain.

"Huh?" Callie asked in confusion as she turned to face her wife. "What new friend?"

Arizona regarded her wife harshly. "Oh you know, the guy at the bar who was all over you!" she snapped. It was like she had word vomit - she knew she was going to snap before she even did so, but she was wholly unable to stop herself.

"He was not all over me!" Callie bit back, seriously offended.

Arizona huffed. "It sure looked like it to me. It was clear from a mile away that he was hitting on you, Callie."

Quickly swinging her body around to face her wife, Callie took in her defiant, rigid form. What the hell was wrong with her? Things were definitely going from bad to worse to just downright awful. She wished Arizona would talk to her, but she knew by pushing her to do so right now, would only do more harm than good.

She knew her wife. She would only retreat, putting up walls to protect herself. That was her defense mechanism when she was upset. Over the years, Arizona had let down those walls and learned to lean on Callie - to open up to her and share her pain - but on very rare occasions when something was really bothering her, she resorted to her old ways, ultimately reverting back to what she knew best.

"You're right, he did hit on me," Callie admitted, her voice calm, but with a slight edge. "BUT, I turned him down flat. I told him that my HOT wife was waiting for me. I was not remotely interested in that man and did absolutely nothing wrong," she firmly stated, trying to catch her wife's gaze.

Arizona's inner self was screaming at her to shut the hell up - to just accept what Callie was saying as true and to move on, but the knot in her stomach was twisting tighter and tighter, and with that, her outrage was growing and growing. "That's funny coming from you!" she contended, unable to stop the words from tumbling from her tongue. "Because I'm sure I said something similar to you a couple weeks back, but you still accused me of _FUCKING_ another woman!" Arizona's eyes widened, surprised by her own venomous words as she looked around her to see if there were any witnesses to her outburst.

Callie recoiled in shock and hurt. It felt as if her wife had just slapped her directly across the face. Where the hell was this coming from? She watched, stunned beyond belief as Arizona hastily donned her prosthesis, standing and grabbing her bag before walking off without another word.

* * *

Arizona slammed the door to the rented SUV before repeatedly banging the back of her head against the headrest. What the hell was she doing? It was one thing to be upset with Callie for a valid reason, but this - well, this was just uncalled for - and she knew it.

Closing her eyes, she mentally berated herself for her callous behavior and spiteful words. There was absolutely no reason in the world for her to have said, well yelled, what she had and especially not in the presence of hundreds of perfect strangers. Maybe they didn't speak English, but that wasn't the point.

She knew she should go back, she knew she should make an attempt to assuage this latest rift she had just created between herself and Callie, but she just couldn't do it. Her stomach was in knots - she felt as if she was going to vomit - and her mind was so full of discordant thoughts, feelings, and emotions that she knew there was no way in the world that she would be able to have a diplomatic and purposeful conversation with her wife.

Sighing angrily, she turned the key in the ignition. Throwing the gear shift into drive, she sped out of the parking lot on her way to - she had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that she needed time to think. Time to outline her feelings. Time to separate every single thought and emotion she was experiencing into its own perfect little bundle.

As she drove, she thought about what had occurred to place her in such a foul mood. Of course it was the call from Sofia. Her little girl had sounded so frightened and so hurt. How could she not have expected the worst from such an outcry of fear on the other end of the phone line?

Especially at four in the morning.

Sofia was fine, though. She was perfectly fine and there was nothing she could do about it while in Spain or even in Seattle for that matter. Ankle sprains were super common - especially in kids as active as Sofia. Arizona knew that her mom and dad were capable of handling things and were probably spoiling Sofia more than she or Callie ever could - or would.

Why then was she acting like this? She hadn't even behaved this way when her daughter was a micro preemie weighing in at only one pound, one ounce. There was no excuse other than she loved Sofia more than life itself, and that phone call had just flat out scared the shit out of her.

A single tear escaped Arizona's eye as she continued to drive through the unfamiliar city. She never wanted children, but now she had one and had for a long time. She and Callie weren't new to this. They had been through damn near everything together. But that was just it. They were always together - when the bad things happened, they were together, never apart.

Arizona had promised long ago to always be there for that little girl. No matter what. She never wanted her to be alone and certainly not when she was hurting. Arizona knew what it was like to be alone and hurting without the people she loved most in the world at her side, and that was something she absolutely never wanted her little girl to have to experience.

Arizona stared out at the road ahead of her. She needed to calm down and organize her thoughts so that she could have a rational conversation with Callie. She needed to apologize, but she just wasn't quite there yet because that meant opening up to her wife. It meant letting Callie see her - really see her. She asked herself before _why _she was acting like this, but only now was she ready to admit that reason.

Deep down, she knew the reason why she was acting like a crazy person. Truth be told, she had known all along, but she was only just now allowing herself to admit it.

She was scared. That was what it boiled down to. She felt inadequate, and she felt guilty, and she was terrified of letting Callie see her like this, so she put up walls and picked fights so Callie wouldn't think she was weak - so she could protect her wife from her own emotions. Now though, she realized that in doing so, she had only hurt Callie and that was something she never ever wanted to do.

When she first met Callie and then started to fall for her, she promised her father that she would always protect her - not that she needed it - but, she also promised herself she would always be a good man in a storm. After the plane crash, she let Callie down as a wife and as a mother. When she finally started to feel like herself again, she swore she would never let her family down ever again and that she would continue to be the good man in a storm that they needed her to be.

Feeling scared, inadequate, and guilty were all emotions that threatened her ability to keep that promise. Callie didn't need to see her scared. Callie needed her to be the strong one, especially in light of everything that had recently happened. Admitting she was scared was like admitting defeat, and letting Callie see what she perceived as weakness was something that turned Arizona inside out.

Banging her head against the steering wheel, she cursed herself for her stupid behavior - for falling back on old habits. She knew that trying to hide from Callie and trying to 'protect' her only caused problems. Her wife loved her. All of her. Not just the strong Arizona, but also the scared and vulnerable part of her, as well.

She needed to make this right.

She had to explain to Callie why she was acting like this. She had to swallow her pride and trust that when she told her why, that Callie would catch her.

* * *

Arriving back at the bungalow an hour later, Callie's heart dropped when she realized that their rental car was nowhere in sight. Paying the cab driver, she exited the vehicle, slowly making her way into the villa. Dragging herself up the stairs and into the en suite bathroom of their bedroom, she quickly rid herself of her bathing suit and cover-up before stepping under the spray of the hot water.

To say that she was wounded by her wife's behavior would be the understatement of the century. She honestly felt like Arizona had punched her directly in the gut. Lambasted actually, would probably be a better word. As hurt as she was feeling, though, she also knew that at least _part_ of what Arizona had said - well, spewed - was one hundred percent correct.

Callie had done the same thing. She had witnessed an interaction between her wife and another woman and immediately jumped to very wrong, very immature conclusions. She had blamed and accused and outright charged her wife with a guilty verdict before hearing all of the information.

This - well this was different. Right? Arizona had watched the interaction between herself and that muscle head guy _Fortunato_ - was that _really_ his name? She had watched Callie brush him off, but still that wasn't decent enough proof for her not to be pissed over the situation. Callie knew there was something else going on. There had to be. If not, Arizona was just being an outright bitch, something that had never been true of her in the ten years they had been together. There was no way it was just that. There had to be more. . .and she needed to fix it.

After washing her hair and body and then turning off the water, Callie dried herself with a fluffy white towel before wrapping it around her damp hair and placing a robe over her naked form. Throwing herself down to sit in the middle of the king size bed, she grabbed her iPad and the International Telephone from the nightstand before quickly dialing a number.

Waiting for someone to pick up, she anxiously drummed her fingers against the touch screen of her iPad. "Hi, Brenda. This is Dr. Torres," she greeted when the operator for SGMW picked up. "Could you please page Dr. Bailey for me?"

Callie paused listening to the operator. "Oh, umm. . .yes. Dr. Robbins and I are having a _wonderful_ time."

"Yes, Sofia is fine. Just a sprained ankle."

Callie rolled her eyes. Was the rumor mill really that quick where they worked? "We'll be back to work next week. Could you _please_ get Dr. Bailey for me?"

She listened as the phone clicked before starting to ring again. "OR 2, Melanie speaking," a voice answered.

"Oh, Melanie, this is Callie Torres."

"Hi, Dr. Torres. How's your trip?"

"It's fine, Melanie," Callie replied. "Are you in the OR with Dr. Bailey?"

"Yes, she's right here. Let me put you on speaker."

"Bailey. . ." Callie's voice echoed off the walls of the OR.

"This had better be important, Torres," Miranda scolded, not looking up from the abdominal cavity in front of her.

"I need your help."

"Shouldn't you be sitting on a beach somewhere sipping Sangria or a Margarita or some other drink with a damn umbrella in it? NOT bothering me."

"Yes, Bailey," Callie retorted. "That is exactly what I _should_ be doing, but I'm not. Arizona is freaking the Hell out over Sofia's ankle, so I need you to email me her x-rays."

Entering the bungalow, Arizona searched the downstairs for her wife, completely prepared to have a civil, adult conversation with her. Hearing Callie's voice, she headed up the stairs to find her. Standing outside the bedroom door that stood ajar, she watched Callie roll her eyes at whoever was on the other end of the phone.

"Well, yes, maybe she is being _ridiculous_, but I. . .could you just please do this for me?" Callie asked.

_Ridiculous._ Upon hearing that word again, Arizona's now calmed ocean waves quickly turned back into tsunami force waves, her stomach twisting, her anger rising.

"Thank you so, _so _much," Callie replied earnestly. "I owe you one when we get back. Okay. I will. Bye."

Arizona watched as Callie hung up the phone, tossing it onto the mattress before moving off the bed to grab some clothes from their suitcase. "What the Hell, Callie?!" she spat as she entered the room.

Callie jumped at the intrusion, dropping her clothes to the floor as she looked behind her. "Jesus Christ, Arizona! You scared the shit out of me!"

Arizona charged toward her. "Who were you talking to? Better yet, who the Hell were you talking to _about_ me?"

Callie immediately dropped her head, her chin resting against her chest. She just couldn't catch a break today. Apparently on this day, there was nothing she could do right. Looking back up to her wife, she sighed. "I wasn't talking_ about_ you. I was talking to Bailey about. . ."

"ME!" Arizona spat. "I heard you, Calliope. You were clearly talking about me!"

"I wasn't!"

"You were!"

Feeling her anger rising, Callie bent over, quickly gathering her discarded clothing before throwing off her robe and hurriedly getting dressed. Shoving her iPad into her purse, she slipped on a pair of flip-flops. "You know what, Arizona. You need to grow the Hell up. I can't even deal with you when you're like this. You are being a catty, spiteful, hateful. . ."

"Anything else, Calliope?" Arizona asked, her eyes dark and fixed with anger.

". . .grade-A BITCH!" Callie spat as she moved past her wife and into the hallway before rushing down the steps, fully aware that she needed to remove herself from this situation before her anger could overwhelm her. "I'm not staying here with you, Arizona. You are being _ridiculous_, and grouchy, and-and you are completely out of line!" she shouted as she rushed to exit the bungalow. "I'm taking the car," she then added as she grabbed the keys from where Arizona had deposited them on a stand near the door.

"I don't really give a shit what you do!" Arizona yelled from the top of the stairs.

Callie shook her head, now even further confused by her wife's behavior, but mostly disgusted at herself for once again allowing Arizona's contentious words and actions to get the better of her. Reaching for the doorknob, she sighed. She knew she should just swallow her pride, turn around, and force Arizona to tell her what was really going on, but in her mind, there was no turning back now. Quickly throwing open the door, she stepped out, slamming it behind her before quickly striding to the car as her eyes welled with tears.

* * *

**AN3: **I look forward to your reviews/comments. I enjoy reading each and every one! Hope you have a great week!


	9. Chapter 9

**Title:** Ready to Love Again

**Author:** HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Collaborator:** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona

**Rating:** M/NC-17

**Summary: **After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer:** All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **There was quite a mix of reviews and comments for the previous chapter of this story. I hope that this update helps to explain what exactly was happening. And no. . .Arizona does not have a tumor, nor does she need to be admitted to a psych unit. ;)

**AN2: **An extra special thank you to Funkyshaz57 who wrote a significant chunk of this chapter. You're the best!

* * *

Two hours later, Callie thankfully accepted the key card to her room at_ Hotel España_ from the concierge. "Muchas gracias, señor," she stated with a forced smile before turning to cross the luxurious lobby, walking toward the elevator on her way to her room.

This was insane. She should have been enjoying every last second of time alone with her wife while on vacation - laughing with her, talking with her, making love to her - not spending the night in a hotel _away_ from her. Unfortunately, though, here she was doing just that. The thought of spending the night alone in a hotel room when she had a perfectly lovely little bungalow to stay in with Arizona was just preposterous, but unfortunately necessary at this time.

After leaving the villa, she had driven around Barcelona for over an hour trying to figure out what she should do next, ultimately deciding that perhaps some time away from Arizona would be the best medicine, especially since every conversation they had engaged in today ended in a knock down drag out fight.

So, with a heavy heart, she decided to stay away. She just needed a small hotel room to spend the night so that she could think about what she needed to do to fix whatever this was with her wife, but could only find availability on such short notice in this elegant four-star hotel. What the Hell, she thought. After the day she had, she more than deserved it.

When the elevator deposited her on her floor, she stepped out carrying nothing but her purse and wearing clothing that she was sure was less than acceptable in such an establishment. She had no luggage. No change of clothes. No toothbrush. Nothing. She hadn't anticipated the necessity of packing a bag when she stormed out of the bungalow earlier that day.

It was just for one night, though. Right? She would manage and since they appeared more than willing to accept her Platinum American Express Card, they would just have to deal with her yoga pants, t-shirt, and flip-flops.

Entering the room, she threw her bag down onto the sofa before pulling out her iPad to see if Bailey had emailed her Sofia's x-rays. Settling onto the bed, she opened her email app, happy to see that her friend had followed through with her request. Pulling up the scans, she studied them with the trained eye of an orthopedic surgeon.

No fracture. No shearing or tearing. Just what appeared to be minor stretching of the anterior talofibular ligament. The most common type of ankle sprain in the world.

Callie sighed. It felt nice to see her daughter's scans for herself, but she had _mostly_ trusted Bailey and Karev's assessment from the very beginning. Wondering if she should email the scans to Arizona, she initially thought to just leave her alone, but the mature part of her brain took over, guilting her into sending an email.

_Arizona,_

_I'm not sure that you care, but I was not on the phone earlier spreading vicious rumors about you as you choose to believe, but instead I was asking Bailey to please email me Sofia's x-rays so that you could look at them yourself. It looks like nothing more than minor stretching of the anterior talofibular ligament to me, but have a look at the scans for yourself since you don't seem to trust anyone else's opinion right now._

_Just so you know, I'm not coming back to the villa tonight. Hopefully time away from me will give you the opportunity to figure out why you are so intent on acting like a child._

_~Callie _

* * *

Arizona paced around the bungalow, then out the open French Doors onto the terrace before turning back around and completing the same circuit for the millionth time that evening. Callie had sped out of the driveway four hours ago, and she hadn't heard from her since.

She had to come back, right?

She couldn't have been serious when she said she wasn't going to stay there with her.

Arizona sighed, her fingertips massaging her temples. Who was she kidding? Of course Callie was serious. Her wife was the most passionate person she had ever met and when she felt strongly about something, she certainly gave it her all.

"What the Hell is wrong with me?" she whispered to herself.

The truth was, she had no idea what Callie was talking about on the telephone earlier, but she felt betrayed by the thought of her wife secretly discussing her in a negative light. Arizona had come back to the bungalow fully prepared to have a rational conversation with her, but something about Callie's call just sent her right back over the edge.

She hated this. She hated not knowing where her wife was, let alone not knowing where she was in a strange country with no way of getting in contact with her. Sitting down at the desk in the living room, she opened her laptop, determined to find out where exactly Callie had gone.

* * *

After sending the scans to Arizona and another email to Bailey thanking her for Sofia's x-rays, Callie ordered room service for dinner, but her frazzled nerves made her stomach churn at the thought of eating a single bite. Deciding to watch some television instead, she flipped through the channels, her mind wandering from Arizona to Sofia to whether or not she should just give in and go back to the bungalow.

Maybe she should go back.

Maybe she should pack everything up and head to the airport in search of a plane bound for Seattle with Arizona in tow just to make her happy.

Maybe she should just head to the airport herself and go back to Seattle on her own.

No, that was just stupid. She may have been angry at her wife, but she would never leave her alone in a foreign country with no idea she was in the air bound for another continent.

As her thoughts strayed further and further into the absurd, Callie soon turned off the television that she wasn't paying a bit of attention to anyway. Tossing the remote onto the nightstand, she settled her body under the plush duvet, hoping she could just fall asleep and forget this entire day had ever happened.

* * *

Three hours later, Callie was awakened by the dinging of her iPad. Searching for the device under the mess of covers on the bed, she finally found it underneath one of the large down pillows. Noting the time - 12:39am - she swiped her thumb across the screen. Seeing that the dinging was alerting her to a new email, she initially thought to toss it aside until a more decent hour, but quickly changed her mind when she realized that while it was after midnight in Spain, it wasn't even four o'clock in the afternoon in Seattle. Worried that it might be a message concerning Sofia, she quickly opened the email app.

Surprised when she saw who the sender actually was, she couldn't help the slight smile that graced her face upon seeing that the email was sent from one ARobbins . Hesitating only slightly, she then pressed her finger to the screen to open the delivery.

_Calliope,_

_Thank you for asking Bailey to send Sofia's scans. That was very thoughtful of you, and I have to admit that seeing them for myself really has helped. You know me. . . know-it-all type A. _

_Oh, Callie. . .I regret nothing more than what I've done today. I was wrong, stupid, and immature, and you certainly do not deserve any of the hurt that I have caused. I can't bear to see you unhappy because of me, Callie. I promised myself a long time ago that I would always make you happy, but today, I failed._

_I failed us both, but I want to make this right. I really do. You know that I'm not normally like this, Callie, and while I am in no way trying to excuse my behavior, I really hope you will at least give me the chance to explain. __I'm so sorry for creating a situation that I know I should have handled better. I admit that I was wrong and can only say how sorry I am. _

_I was so awful to you, today, and I am going crazy right now not knowing where you are. I know how hurt and mad you must be because, well, you aren't here with me right now. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, though, I really need to talk to you. I need to make this right. I have searched my soul today, and there is so much I need you to know._

_Please. . .please call or email or whatever just so I at least know where you are. _

_You have to believe me when I tell you that I love you more than anything in the world, Callie, and I am so, so sorry. _

_~Arizona_

A gentle knock on the door interrupted Callie's second read through of this heartfelt email from her wife. Throwing back the duvet and sheet, she moved from the bed, confused by who would be at her hotel room at this hour. Opening the door, the sight before her made her breath catch in her throat and her heart rate to speed up.

"Okay. So picture this. You and I are in Spain and everything is going great. We're having a wonderful time, and I'm loving every second of it, but then. . .then, we get a phone call. . .from our daughter and she's _crying_, and-and I'm scared, and I want to go back, and I-I. . ." Arizona trailed off, her emotions getting the better of her.

She had tracked Callie down via their online credit card records and even though it was late, she just had to come find her to make things right. Arizona fully accepted responsibility for their current situation, and while she knew her feelings were valid, she also knew that her behavior was not. Especially because her wife had no idea how or why she was feeling the way she was.

Seeing Arizona at the door certainly surprised Callie, but hearing the emotion in her voice and witnessing those baby blue eyes begin to well with tears, simply broke her heart. Yes, she was pissed, but when Arizona hurt, so did she. It was clear that something was really upsetting her wife and because of that, there was no way she could stay angry at her. She couldn't _not_ give her a chance to explain herself because all she really wanted was to understand how her wife was feeling.

"Arizona, please talk to me," Callie softly requested.

Taking a shaky breath and not bothering to wipe the tears that now slid down her cheeks, Arizona looked up at Callie who was watching her carefully with nothing but love in her eyes. "I'm terrified, Callie. I know we've been through a lot, but when I heard Sofia's voice on the other end of the phone. . .nothing can describe that, Callie, and I don't think I've ever been so scared in my entire life. I-I'm _so_ sorry." And with that, the dam burst, freeing every single emotion she had been feeling since that frightful phone call yesterday morning. All her fears and all her insecurities bubbled to the surface as she gave in and broke down right in front of her wife.

Strong arms quickly wrapped around her waist, catching her before she crumpled to the ground - catching her like she knew they always would. There was just something about being in Callie's arms. They always made her feel safe and welcome and loved. They were her place of comfort - her place to let go. Without even realizing what was happening, Arizona allowed herself be led into the hotel room as she curled into Callie who maneuvered them to sit down on the bed.

As Arizona cried, Callie gently rocked the blonde back and forth, placing errant kisses on the top of her head as she ran her fingers through her hair. She hated to see her like this - in pain and upset - but she also knew that sometimes Arizona forced herself to hold everything in until she reached a breaking point before finally opening up.

It seemed that they were at that point now.

Pulling back so she could look at her wife, Callie gently wiped away her tears. "Talk to me, Arizona. Please. I can't help you if you don't let me in," she softly stated.

Straightening herself and feeling foolish for her outburst of emotion, Arizona hastily looked away. Admitting to herself that she felt scared, guilty, and inadequate was one thing, but expressing these feelings to her wife - to the person who she wanted to be strong for - was a completely different story.

The time had come, though. She had to open up. Callie deserved her honesty.

Arizona cleared her throat, sniffling quietly in an attempt to compose herself. "I know I've said all of this to you before, but I never wanted to be a mother. It was never part of my dream, but now and for the past eight years, it has been the center of my life - the center of my world. I love Sofia so much, and being her mother is something that fulfills me in every possible way," she began to explain with the slightest of smiles. "To think that I could have missed out on this - on her - it's something I never want to contemplate."

Callie nodded her head, but didn't say a word. She knew all of this already.

"I like to be the strong one. I have to be the strong one for Sofia and-and for you, but that phone call scared the shit out of me, Callie," she continued, her voice thick with emotion. "That was one of the reasons I never wanted to be a mother. That fear. That unease. That constant nagging worry that something might happen to your child. I know it was only a sprained ankle, but Callie. . .I was terrified. I was just so scared," she continued as she looked up to face her wife.

Callie could see the fear in her wife's eyes, but she could also see a sense of inadequacy there, too. She knew Arizona had this complex about being the strong one - about being a good man in a storm. She knew her wife hated showing weakness.

Opening her mouth to respond - to tell Arizona that it was okay to be scared, Callie paused when the blonde held up her hand, halting her.

"I need to explain, Callie. Please. Just let me finish," Arizona requested.

Taking Callie's nod as permission to continue, she sighed, standing from the bed. "When I was out in the woods for those four days, all I thought about was you and Sofia. I was hurt and terrified a-and miles away from where you were when all I wanted was to be near you both. I know I sound crazy. . .I know that, really I do. There's a huge difference between a sprained ankle and a plane crash, but all I could think about when Sofia called was how we weren't there - how we were miles away when she needed us most. I don't want her to ever think that she's alone, Callie. I don't ever want her to be scared and hurt and not be able to get to us."

Callie felt the sting of tears in her own eyes. To hear her wife speak so honestly - to hear the raw emotion in her voice was heartbreaking.

Things were finally starting to click.

Arizona was terrified. She was scared for their daughter and not being able to physically be there - to hold her and to comfort her - was quite literally killing her. She had spent so long not wanting children and then so long after having Sofia constantly feeling like she wasn't a good enough parent, that now, not being able to be there for their daughter when she was hurt, was making Arizona feel like a complete failure.

Callie sighed, reaching out to pull Arizona back down next to her, as she once again wrapped her up in her arms. "Oh, Arizona. Babe, you haven't let her down. There was nothing anyone could have done, and I know that I've said this before, but she. Is. Fine," Callie insisted. "This wasn't your fault. It was an accident, and no one thinks any less of you or _me _because we weren't there when it happened."

"But, I let her down. I let you down," Arizona argued. "I'm supposed to be a good man in a storm. I'm supposed to-to protect you and be strong, but all I did was fall to pieces. I hate being weak. I'm such a mess, and I'm_ so _sorry. I love you, Callie. Please forgive me," Arizona pled, crying into her wife's shoulder.

Callie let her wife's tears fall, gently stroking her hair as she held her in her arms. When Arizona's sobs eventually seemed to quiet, she pulled back, pushing stray locks of blonde hair behind her wife's ear. "Look at me, Arizona," she insisted.

Arizona reluctantly looked up at her, eyes rimmed red from crying, regret etched on every feature of her face, and if Callie wasn't mistaken there was a hint of fear and apprehension there, as well.

Sighing heavily, Callie gently cupped an ivory cheek in the palm of her hand. She should be mad. She wanted to be mad and stay mad - she really did - but how could she? She was certainly still hurt, and she was definitely going to make sure that Arizona knew that, but she couldn't be mad. Not really.

Callie could easily fly off the handle. _Again_. She could tell Arizona to go to Hell. She could scream, and she could yell, and she could tell her that her behavior was completely unacceptable. Callie could certainly tell Arizona that she didn't forgive her because when she fucked up over the Natalie situation a couple weeks prior, Arizona had yelled at her and stormed out of their home without forgiving her so easily.

But, this wasn't a competition.

This wasn't about trying to one up the other or about comparing fights or faults or insecurities. The truth of the matter was that Arizona may not yet have fully forgiven her for or gotten over the accusations she had thrown around concerning her fidelity, but she was trying her hardest to push through and make things right. When she could have easily left and spent the night in a hotel as she had planned, Arizona instead held Callie through the night when she was terrified that the blonde was going to run. She accepted Callie's faults, and she still loved her in spite of them.

This was a marriage. A partnership, and sometimes there were bad days. Sometimes there were good days, but sometimes there were downright horrible ones. Sometimes people said and did hurtful things. Having the opportunity to express her hurt and disappointment to Arizona was one thing, but to hold a grudge and continuously condemn her for something that was, as a rule, extremely out of character for her, was another. It was clear that they needed to talk and not just about Sofia and the fear Arizona felt, but also about Natalie and Fortunato and both of their insecurities.

Arizona promised that she would support her if she chose to go to counseling. She promised that she would support her through her fears and self-doubt, and Callie would do the same. It was really as simple as that. Callie would support her wife in whatever way she needed and help her to work through her emotions because. . .she loved her, and that was what marriage was.

Marriage was forgiving. It was supporting. It was loving. Marriage was accepting.

"Don't look so scared, Arizona. I'm not going to run," Callie finally said as she pulled her wife's hands into her lap.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did," Arizona softly admitted. "I've been awful."

Callie nodded her head, staring at her conflicted wife. "You really have. I'm not going to deny that," she began. "But, I love you, Arizona, and I forgive you."

Arizona's eyes widened, not daring to believe what Callie was saying.

"I love you, and I can forgive you because I understand. I know you think I don't, but I really, really do," Callie continued. "I just wish you would have given me more credit than you did today, but I-I'm not _mad_."

"I know. I'm sorry. You deserve so much more than this. Wait. . .you're not mad?" Arizona asked in surprise.

"No. . .well. . .not really," Callie clarified, standing from the bed. "I'm hurt, Arizona. I'm hurt that you didn't give me a chance to explain myself. You jumped to conclusions. . ."

"I did. . ."

". . . and you were irate for no reason. You screamed and yelled and slammed doors. . ." Callie trailed off, collecting her thoughts. ". . .but I did the same thing," she continued honestly.

Callie forced a sigh from her lungs. She had been thinking about what she wanted to say to Arizona from the very moment she left the bungalow. Arizona's mood had spiraled out of control over seemingly minor things, but she had done the same. She had accused and gotten angrier than she ever had before. So angry in fact, that she had come close to physically harming her wife, something that was completely out of the norm for her, as well.

"I accused you of horrible things, Arizona. I accused you of betraying me. I questioned your fidelity to me and our family without giving you the opportunity to speak and that wasn't right. We've both done the same horrible things to each other. Neither of us are innocent here, but two wrongs certainly don't make a right."

Arizona nodded her head in agreement. What had happened to them? When had they decided that it was okay to be so hurtful to one another? "What's happening to us, Callie?" she questioned, her voice barely above a whisper. "When did we get. . ._here_?"

Callie sighed, hanging her head as she leaned against the back of the sofa. "I think all along we've made these tiny little small mistakes, and instead of admitting to them or apologizing and fixing things when they happen, I get all defensive. . .and you put up walls. . ."

Arizona opened her mouth to argue, but Callie stopped her with the chastising look on her face. "_You_ put up walls. . .while I try to justify my mistakes with silly, misguided intentions, and that just creates hostility and a lack of trust between us. It doesn't really make a difference if we've made insignificant mistakes or seriously huge ones like we've been doing lately. It's all the same, but neither of us like to admit when we're wrong or feeling weak and insecure, so. . .here were are ten years later, still making the same stupid mistakes."

Arizona stared at her wife, for some reason surprised by the maturity of her words. "You've really thought about this," Arizona stated.

"Yeah, well. . .I've had a lot of time on my hands, today."

Arizona carefully watched her wife before slowly standing from the bed, stopping directly in front of her. "I know this doesn't make what I've done right, Callie, but today was just awful. First the call from Sofia and-and then I felt like you were mocking me by calling my fears ridiculous. And then that guy at the beach. . ."

"Was disgusting," Callie interrupted.

"I know, I know," Arizona admitted. "But for a brief moment I was _so_ jealous of someone else being near you - wanting you the way I do. I know it was irrational, and I know it was wrong, but I couldn't help it. I was reminded of the whole Natalie thing and of how you didn't believe me when I told you that nothing was going on between the two us. That hurt, Callie, and I thought I was over it, but clearly. . .well clearly, I'm not," she continued, complete and total honesty falling forth from her lips. "But, I shouldn't have yelled at you. I shouldn't have screamed what I did, but everything just kept getting worse and worse, and I couldn't stop myself," she rambled. "I came back to the villa later to talk to you, but then you were on the phone, and I felt betrayed that you were talking about me to someone else."

"I wasn't talking _about_ you, Arizona," Callie reiterated. "I told Bailey that you were freaking the Hell out. Was I wrong? I mean, even you have to admit that you really were being a little ridiculous."

Arizona wanted to argue, but deep down, she knew that Callie was right. She certainly was freaking the Hell out, there was no getting around that, but she was just so scared. She felt that her fears were warranted, but she definitely should have gone about things differently - she should have behaved more maturely about the entire situation. It really all boiled down to the fact that she desperately wanted to be there to comfort their daughter, but she unfortunately was a world away. "You weren't wrong," she finally admitted. "I was definitely freaking the Hell out."

They both stared at each other, silently pondering what else there was to say before Arizona moved around the couch, throwing herself down with a huff. "I know I told you that we could move past this - that I forgave you for the things you said about Natalie and me, but Callie. . .I'm just having such a hard time forgetting it."

Callie stared at the back of her wife's head from where she still leaned against the couch, unsure of how to respond. She knew she had gotten off too easily. She knew that Arizona was still hurt and still felt betrayed, her emotions still raw from such accusations. Deeply breathing in, she slowly exhaled an exaggerated breath. Stepping around the couch, she sat next to her wife who was adamantly diverting her gaze.

"I was so sure of myself when I accused you, Arizona," Callie softly stated. "The facts all seemed to point toward an affair. Everything I knew indicated that you were cheating on me - that you had betrayed my trust. But then, when I really listened to you, when I heard your words, I realized that it was me. I was the one who had broken that trust."

Arizona looked up as Callie hung her head. "I can't justify my actions, Arizona. There's nothing there to justify. All I can do now is apologize sincerely and from the bottom of my heart. And I do. . .I really do. I'm so sorry," Callie continued. "There's just something inside me. Something dangerous and something jealous and whatever that is, it caused such a mistake. I should have fought harder against it, I should have fought myself, and I should have trusted you, but I didn't. I was feeling weak and vulnerable and now all I can do is ask for your forgiveness."

Callie took Arizona's hands into hers, their eyes meeting for the first time since they sat down together on the couch. "I want to ask for your forgiveness, Arizona," she repeated earnestly, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "I don't expect you to forget, but I just hope that my love and my affection, and-and my hope of our future together is enough for us to move forward and put this entire situation behind us."

Arizona stared into her wife's chocolate orbs before reaching out to brush away the lone tear that streaked down her tanned cheek. Tilting her head to the side, she smiled slightly, her own eyes becoming damp with tears. "I forgive you, Callie. I do," she breathed out.

Callie blew out the air she had been holding while she awaited the blonde's response. Smiling happily, she moved onto her knees, leaning over her wife. "I promise, Arizona. We are going to work together, and we are going to recover the relationship we had before all of this started. I'm so committed to that. I am committed to you and to our family, and I am determined to make this right again," she excitedly replied.

Arizona returned her wife's smile, dimples popping as she leaned forward to peck at Callie's lips. "I want to say once more how deeply, _deeply_ sorry I am for hurting you, Callie," she softly stated against full lips. "I'm so thankful you were able to forgive me because I am committed to this, as well. I'm going to work as hard as I can with you to make sure we never end up back where we've been. I love you, Calliope."

Callie beamed back at her wife, her smile lighting Arizona's heart on fire. "God I hate fighting with you," she spoke as she laced her fingers through blonde locks, her lips covering Arizona's face with kisses. "I hate it. It's stupid, and it's just awful."

Arizona nodded her agreement, turning her head to capture Callie's parted lips with her own. What started off slow and gentle soon turned more insistent as Callie's kisses grew more passionate the longer they sat tangled together on the sofa. With the knowledge that everything was now out in the open - that they had talked freely, leaving nothing to hold onto other than the promise to move forward, Callie's ardor soared. Knowing that they had talked and that they had both promised, not only themselves but each other, that from now on they were really going to make the effort to communicate was music to her ears.

After an argument, being close to Arizona always made her feel better - it made everything feel complete. They could talk and talk and promise each other the world, but cementing that promise by making love to her wife always made Callie feel more whole.

Arizona moaned into Callie's mouth as her wife's touches became bolder. Wanting to take control and wanting to show Callie how truly sorry she was, she breathlessly managed to rasp out, "Bed. . ." before they got too carried away.

Callie moaned her approval and without consent - not that she needed it - she stood up, Arizona's legs wrapping tightly around her waist as she lifted her from the sofa, a seductive laugh leaving her chest when her wife let out a surprised squeal. Carrying the blonde the few steps to the hotel bed, she deposited her gently onto the king size mattress. Wasting no time, the moment her wife was spread out before her, Callie's hands couldn't resist seeking out that flawless skin that made her fingertips tingle every time she touched it.

Arizona felt her breath catch as Callie's fingers slipped under her blouse, strong hands travelling up the length of her torso to cup heaving breasts. There was nothing quite like the way her wife's hands on her body made her feel - so alive and like nothing else in the world mattered except the two of them. All her worries and fears melted away when she felt nimble fingers quickly shedding her shirt as moist, soft lips nipped at her neck.

Wanting to make Callie feel just as good, she easily flipped them over, pinning Callie's hands above her head. "Hi," she whispered, gazing down at her wife who was looking at her with one eyebrow quirked.

"Hi," Callie replied. "What exactly do you think you're doing, hmmm?" she questioned, her tone jovial.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Calliope?" Arizona asked as she moved her hands down to fumble with the hem of Callie's shirt. Not a second later, however, she found herself flipped back over with her wife hovering above her. Quirking an eyebrow of her own, she repeated Callie's earlier question. "What exactly do you think _you're_ doing?"

"I'm going to make love to my wife," Callie stated obviously. "Does she have a problem with that?"

Arizona shook her head. "Normally, no," she replied. "But, I want to make _you_ feel good right now, baby."

Callie sat back on her heels looking down at the blonde lying beneath her. She studied her carefully, trying to figure out what was wrong. She thought everything was fine - or at least well on its way to being that way. They had talked. They had cried. They had promised to leave everything in the past and to move on and enjoy their last days together in Spain.

But, something was off. Callie might have been a bit slow on the uptake with recent events, but right now, it was crystal clear to her that Arizona was still holding back. "Arizona," she sighed, almost in exasperation. "What's wrong? Do you not want me to touch you?" she questioned, momentarily fearing the answer.

Arizona's mouth fell open. "What? No! Of course not," she stated adamantly, surprised that Callie would every voice such a thing.

"What is it, then?"

"I-I've just been so awful to you, today. I hurt you, Callie, and I just want to show you how sorry I truly am."

Laughing lightly in relief, Callie whipped off her own shirt, tossing it behind her before lying back down on top of the warm body beneath her. Quickly kissing her wife, she then pulled back, looking into misty blue eyes.

"You don't have to make anything up to me, Arizona," Callie insisted, nuzzling her nose against her wife's ear. "You explained and you apologized, and I have forgiven. You don't need to prove a single thing to me," she continued as she playfully nipped at her earlobe. "We've discussed everything, babe. We both know that we need to make some changes, and we're going to start right now. We've made more mistakes in the last month than I can even count, but my love for you has never diminished. The way I feel for you has never been in question. I love you, Arizona, and I want to _make_ love to you. I want to make _you_ feel good."

Arizona skeptically regarded her wife. "B-but. . ."

"No buts. Do you hear me?" Callie quickly countered. "When I was feeling insecure and unsure and emotional in New York, you took care of me, Arizona. You made me feel. . .like the luckiest woman alive. You made me feel safe and wanted, and you didn't judge me for what I was feeling," she continued, her words full of honesty and the appreciation she felt for her wife. "Let me take care of you. Please, Arizona. Let me be the strong one," she said softly as she let her hand slowly flick open the clasp at the front of Arizona's lacy purple bra. "Let go for me, baby. Let me take care of you."

Arizona was so used to thinking that she had to be the strong one. She wasn't used to giving up any amount of control in any aspect of her life, but she knew that was exactly what Callie was asking her to do. She wanted her to let go and to trust her, and Arizona could hear the sincerity in every single word her wife spoke.

Exhaling a shaky breath, Arizona finally nodded her head, relinquishing all control to the woman she loved and trusted more than anyone else in the world. Sinking back into the fluffy pillows of the hotel's bed, she closed her eyes and relished the sensation of Callie's hands on her body - the way her fingertips tickled her skin as they skimmed her abdomen - the way Callie's breath washed over her now exposed thighs as she slowly undressed her.

"You're so beautiful, baby," Callie whispered as she removed Arizona's prosthesis before standing from the bed to undress herself.

Arizona leaned up on her elbows, her heart rate sky rocketing as she watched Callie's flawless skin become exposed to her eyes. Her breathing hitched, her arousal escalating as Callie moved back to the bed, slowly crawling up to settle between her legs, her face hovering mere inches from her own.

They met each other in the middle, lips drawn together like magnets, tongues dancing together and wanton hands caressing over shoulders, down arms, and across breasts as nails scratched across backs, moans of pleasure soon filtering through the quietness of the room.

When Callie finally pulled back, both women were breathless. She pushed herself up, bracing herself with her palms against the mattress as she looked down at her wife, reveling in the sight of her flushed cheeks, heaving chest, and darkened lust filled eyes. No sight had ever taken her breath away quite like the sight of Arizona just like this. "Spread your legs for me," she husked against her wife's ear as she laid back down, one hand reaching down to help her along.

Arizona swallowed hard, an unintentional whimper leaving her lips. Doing as her wife requested, her own eyes bored into the chocolate brown one's staring back at her. "I love you," she rasped, her voice heavy with lust and anticipation.

Callie simply smiled in response before leaning down and capturing a taut nipple with her hot mouth. She smiled around the hardened bud when she heard Arizona's moan echo raggedly throughout the room. Licking and sucking her way across to the other breast, she then gave it the same loving attention as she subtly began to rock her pelvis against the slick wetness between her wife's legs.

Arizona couldn't stop the loud moan that breached her lips as she felt Callie rocking down against her. The need to take control, the need to flip her wife over and show her exactly how much she loved her was endless, but she also knew that by giving Callie control - by relinquishing it even if only in the bedroom, was something that would go a long way in showing Callie that she did trust her. She trusted her completely and not just with her body, but with her emotions, with her mind, and with her soul.

So instead, Arizona started to rock her hips upward, meeting the sensual thrusts of her wife. Both women moved in sync, their bodies knowing instinctively what the other wanted - what the other craved. They had perfected this dance in the many years they had spent making love.

Feeling herself already nearing her peak, Callie reached down between their sweaty bodies, parting Arizona's folds before doing the same to her own. Lowering her shaking body back down onto the blonde, she let out a ragged gasp as she felt their aching clits intimately connect. Reaching up, she grasped Arizona's hands within her own, holding them above their bodies as she rocked down forcefully.

"Oh. . ." Arizona gasped, her back arching as a jolt of unadulterated pleasure assaulted her body.

"You f-feel so good, baby," Callie mumbled, gritting her teeth as she thrust down again more vigorously. She was racing toward the edge with the need to make her wife unravel, her own need to come only serving to increase her urgency.

"More! Please, Callie," Arizona begged as she tightly gripped at the fingers interlaced with her own.

Callie only nodded, murmuring something completely unintelligible as she moved sensually on top of her wife. Guttural moans and hushed expletives filled the room as both women moved together - sensitive breasts rubbing against sensitive breasts - turgid nipples scraping against each other as their lower bodies danced in perfect harmony.

"Oh, God! This. . .I can feel you C-Callie. You feel so fucking amazing," Arizona mumbled, her eyes scrunching closed, her hands holding onto her wife's for dear life as their pace increased, both desperate for their release and to feel the other let go.

"Open your eyes, Arizona. I need to see you," Callie demanded as she felt her orgasm come hurtling toward her.

Sparkling blue eyes opened and locked onto brown, both witnessing the never ending love they had for one another reflected back at them. Sometimes they may fight - sometimes they may scream and yell and wound. But, in moments like this - in times when all they could do was stare into each other's eyes as they brought each other to ecstasy - they knew that, no matter what obstacles lay ahead and no matter what barriers were placed in front of them, they were truly made for each other.

"God. . .I love you," Callie cried out as her climax slammed into her, her body shaking in a frenzied explosion of sensation. She gasped fiercely and moaned loudly as her muscles went completely rigid, her eyes never straying from the ones below her.

"I love you, Callie. I love you. . .so much," Arizona groaned as her release washed over her.

Hands stayed clasped together as their lower bodies continued to move slowly together, gently bringing each other down from their individual orgasmic highs. When the last pulsing wave of pleasure subsided, Callie collapsed on top of her wife, gasping for air, her breasts heaving with each panted breath.

Arizona's head felt foggy, but her heart complete. "That was. . .just. . .it was. . ."

"It really was. . ." Callie agreed as she slumped lifelessly off to the side, an arm and leg remaining wrapped around Arizona's body.

Both lay gulping for air before Arizona, not knowing what came over her, suddenly burst out laughing to the point of tears. Callie looked over at her with a bemused expression on her face before joining in with her wife's infectious laughter.

They both laughed and giggled together for several moments, all accusation and hurtful words forgotten. Finally catching her breath, Arizona rolled over onto her side, resting her head in her hand as she peered down at her wife.

"What was that about?" Callie asked as she tucked blonde hair behind her wife's ear.

"I don't honestly know," Arizona admitted. "I just. . .I feel free. I feel like a burden has been lifted from my shoulders," she explained.

Callie nodded in agreement, knowing exactly what her wife meant. While she hated arguing with Arizona, perhaps in this instance, it had been for the best because it had forced them both to open up and talk. They had been open and honest tonight, laying all of their cards out on the table and holding nothing back. It was like a huge weight had been lifted.

Callie did not expect miracles. She knew that neither of their pain would disappear overnight and was under no illusion that things were going to be perfect. They would certainly fight and most likely hurt each other again, but they were going to work slowly and carefully to re-establish the close and committed relationship they had always enjoyed. She loved her wife and wanted nothing more than for this marriage to work. They were both devoted to keeping their love alive, and she was without a doubt positive that they would always find their way back to each other.

"I really do love you, you know," Arizona said simply as she leaned down to softly kiss Callie's bruised lips.

Callie smirked at her wife. "I love you too, you moron," she replied affectionately before once again claiming Arizona's lips, intent on making sure her wife knew exactly how much she really did love her.

**AN3: **I look forward to reading each and every one of your comments/reviews. Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: **Ready to Love Again

**Author:** HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Collaborator: **Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona

**Rating: **M/NC-17

**Summary: **After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer: **All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN1: **Sorry for the wait. Has it already been a week since we last posted? This chapter is the longest one yet in this story, however, so I really hope that makes up for it. Thanks again to everyone for continuing to read and review/comment. I super huge thank you to Funkyshaz57 who not only continues to help in the writing, but also continues to deal with my neurosis for researching just about every last detail. You're the BEST. Without further ado, here is Chapter 10. Enjoy!

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Callie's brow furrowed, her body shivering as she fought mightily to remain in the blissful land of dreams. "Mmm. . ." she hummed subconsciously, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

Arizona grinned against the silky caramel expanse of her wife's back as she continued to lay only whispers of kisses down her spine. Watching the Latina's face twitch as she moved further and further into consciousness, Arizona then slid down Callie's body, kissing every bit of naked skin her lips could find.

Reaching the smooth flesh of a perfectly rounded ass, Arizona playfully nipped at it, causing the Latina to jump, a grin tugging at Callie's full lips. Soothing the love bite with a swipe of her tongue and a kiss from moist lips, Arizona continued her southward journey.

"What are the chances of you waking me up like this every day?" Callie mumbled, her eyes still closed as she slid her arms under her pillow, snuggling more comfortably into the bed.

"What are the chances of Sofia not interrupting us?" Arizona questioned as her lips tickled the back of her wife's knee. "What are the chances of you working and me becoming a stay at home mom so that I'll always be available to wake you up like _this_?"

Callie laughed into her pillow as Arizona moved back up the bed, her own bare breasts now resting against the Latina's back. Pulling wavy brunette hair away from her wife's face, Arizona placed a gentle kiss against her cheek. "Morning."

"Mmm. . .morning," Callie replied as she rolled onto her back, her eyes remaining closed as she blindly lifted her head to peck Arizona's lips.

"Can you believe this is our last full day here?" Arizona asked as she nuzzled her nose against Callie's neck.

Callie softly stroked the blonde's hair, a sigh leaving her chest as her eyes finally fluttered open. "Let's just fly Sofia over and live here forever," she offered. "How's that sound?"

Arizona wrapped her right arm and leg tightly around her wife. "Too hot," she replied simply, leaning up to rest her head in her hand. "I enjoy the weather in Seattle way too much, and it's way too overdeveloped here."

Callie pondered Arizona's response, realizing its truth before rolling onto her side to face her wife. "I have a surprise for you today," she admitted with a sly grin.

Arizona returned Callie's smile with a dimpled one of her own. "Really?" She asked in surprise. "Because I have a surprise for you today, too."

Callie's mouth fell open. "Please don't tell me you made plans for today," she stated, worried that her own were quite possibly now ruined.

"It's just a little plan," Arizona replied with a shrug. "Why?"

"Because _I_ made plans for today!" Callie whined. "Arizona!" she scolded as she quickly stood from the bed.

"What?" the blonde questioned, sitting up straight while clutching the sheet to her breasts. "How was _I_ supposed to know that you made plans?"

Callie flippantly threw on a robe, her chocolate brown eyes rolling in the process. "I can't believe this," she scowled

Arizona's brow scrunched as a mischievous grin formed on her face, currently finding her notoriously hot-headed wife's exasperation rather amusing. "Just calm down, babe," she said with a laugh. "Don't get yourself all worked up over nothing. What time do we need to be ready for _your _plans?"

Callie threw her hands in the air, bringing them down against her thighs with a loud smack. "Well, umm. . .this evening," she replied with a huff, trying to keep her answer quite vague.

Arizona wrapped the sheet around herself before transferring from the bed into her wheelchair. "That's perfect!" she exclaimed as she wheeled closer to her wife. "Because my surprise starts in a little over an hour."

Callie's expression lifted, ecstatic that her plans weren't going to be foiled. "Oh, thank God," she replied, the relief she was feeling evident in her tone. "I'm going to go jump in the shower, and get ready. Want to join me?" she asked seductively, allowing her robe to fall to the floor as she padded completely naked toward the bathroom.

"Of course I do," Arizona replied, grinning wickedly as she quickly tapped her wife's behind. "But today, I'm going to say no," she continued, biting her bottom lip as she ogled her wife's body from top to bottom. "Because if I get in there with you right now, we'll never get to where we need to be on time."

Callie fixed her bottom lip in a pout, but Arizona immediately corrected that by pulling her wife down to her level, quickly capturing her lips as she massaged heavy breasts with her hands. Pulling away, they both wore megawatt cheesy grins. "Go on, and I promise I'll make it up to you later," Arizona said with a wink.

Callie chuckled softly as she bounced off to the bathroom, allowing Arizona the time to don her prosthesis before throwing on a robe and moving down the stairs and into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. Arizona was definitely excited for today. It was their last full day in Spain, and she felt a little sad that it was over - it felt like the past ten days had gone by in the blink of an eye, but on the other hand, she was more than a little anxious to get home to see her baby girl.

For the past few days, ever since their fall out and subsequent talk, everything had been great - more than great, actually. Things had been perfect. They had moved on from it with the knowledge that they both would try harder - that they would do what needed to be done to keep their marriage alive and healthy. They spent the past few days seeing the sights of beautiful Barcelona, shopping, lazing around their pool or with their toes in the sand, while also learning more about the country's wonderful history and romantic culture. They dined at some of the most expensive restaurants in Spain, but the local food experience was worth every single penny. In the evenings, they drank Sangria while making out on the terrace before making love in various rooms throughout the villa until the sun came up.

Yesterday was a particularly fun day. They went to _La Rambla_, one of the most famous boulevards in the world, spending the day taking in all the sights which included one of the busiest markets - _La Boqueira_ - which Arizona loved so much that Callie had to practically drag her away. They also went a little out of their comfort zone by having a reading done by a fortune teller. After their fun filled day, they spent the evening feeding each other fruit before making love on every empty surface of the bungalow they could find.

It had been a wonderful few days spent alone together, and Arizona didn't want it to end. The fact that they both had surprises planned for the other made her feel giddy with excitement, and she hoped that with it being their last night, they would be able to spend it in each other's arms, cherishing one another and making love again until the wee hours of the morning before packing everything up and flying back to the real world.

* * *

"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Callie asked as they circled a city block for what felt like the hundredth time.

Arizona quickly turned her head, pointedly looking toward her wife. "We've been here for almost ten days, Callie, and you continue to ask me the same question," she commented with a huff. "Have I gotten us lost, yet?"

Choosing not to reply, Callie sighed as she sat back in her seat. Arizona really was pretty cute when she was frustrated. When their rented SUV finally slowed, Callie's eyes scanned the building they pulled up outside of. It was constructed of red brick and appeared ancient, yet had a definite air of grandeur to it.

"_Aire de Barcelona_. . ." Callie read aloud. "A day spa?" she asked as she turned to Arizona who was anxiously awaiting her response.

"Sort of," Arizona responded with a smile. "I Googled it. . .and it's more than just a few spas and saunas. It's supposed to be really beautiful, and one of the most relaxing places to visit in Barcelona. Do you like it?" she nervously asked, worried that her surprise was falling short.

Arizona wanted to spend their last day in Spain doing something simple and nice - something they could both enjoy while spending the entire day together in total relaxation. Besides the thought of being pampered all day long, this place had a history to it and knowing that Callie was a bit of a history buff, she hoped that her wife would appreciate the gesture.

Now she wasn't so sure.

Callie took in the worried look on her wife's face and laughed out loud before leaning over to pull her in for a less than chaste kiss. Slowly pulling away from Arizona's inviting lips, the Latina smiled brightly. "Don't look so worried, babe," she insisted. "I can't think of a better way to spend our day together," she said, thankfully putting her wife's nerves at ease.

A dimpled smile consumed Arizona's face. "Yay!" she exclaimed. "You're really going to love it here, Calliope! I called ahead and booked us just about every treatment possible, _and_ this place has a really old history that I thought you might like. _Plus_. . .well. . .you'll get to see me half naked for most of the day. That's a bonus, right?" she rambled, winking cheekily as she moved to exit he car.

Arizona smiled again when she heard her wife's infection laughter. Moving around the car to meet her, Callie took the blonde's hand as they headed toward the entry. Determined to cherish every last second of this day, Callie squeezed Arizona's hand, knowing that this surprise definitely a great way to kick start their day.

Pushing open the doors, they found themselves in a beautiful open reception area. "You may need to talk to them," Arizona began with a sheepish grin. "The language barrier made making our reservation a little dodgy. For all I know, I may have signed us up to spend the entire day in an ice bath."

Callie chuckled softly, nodding her head in agreement as they approached a large wooden check-in counter. "Buenos días. Tenemos reservas. Creo que están bajo el nombre de Robbins."

The young woman behind the counter smiled as she looked through the leather bound appointment book at the desk. "Ah, sí. Tengo el derecho de reserva aquí. Por favor me siga, señoras."

Callie and Arizona followed closely behind the woman, taking in their surrounding with every step. The venue was simply stunning - dark and lit only by candles. Underneath cavernous stone arches they discovered multiple means of escape from stress and tension including salt water baths, pools of broadly varying temperatures, jacuzzis, saunas, and steam rooms.

After entering a large locker room, Callie watched Arizona closely as they changed into their bathing suits. The blonde had been so excited when they entered the building, but now, something seemed to be heavily weighing on her mind. Wrapping a towel around her body and tucking an end between her breasts to hold it closed, Callie stepped closer to her wife. "You okay, babe?" she softly asked.

Arizona looked up from her seat on a wooden bench in front of a row of lockers. "Hmm? What? Yeah," she mumbled, her eyes never meeting Callie's.

Callie sighed as she sat down next to her. "Really?" she chided as she playfully nudged her wife with her elbow. "Because that answer really wasn't very convincing."

Arizona smirked at Callie's response, her blue eyes finally finding brown. "I was just wondering how I'm actually going to get into the water. I was so excited when I found this place that I didn't even take that into consideration."

Callie's brow furrowed upon hearing her wife's words. "We've taken Sofia to the beach and the swimming pool a million times since the plane crash, Arizona. You've been in the pool here a ton of times in the past week," she stated in confusion. "You've had aquatic therapy - your occupational therapist taught us both how to get you into a pool years ago. What's so different about this?"

Arizona sighed, shaking her head. "This seems like it's supposed to be sexy. . .or-or romantic. . .or something," she quietly replied. "There's nothing sexy _OR_ romantic about me having to take off my leg before throwing myself into the water."

Callie couldn't help the amused chuckle that fell from her lips, leaving Arizona to stare at her in surprise. "I'm sorry, sweetie," Callie quickly tried to recover. "I'm not laughing at you. I promise."

"You are," Arizona huffed. "After everything we've been through, how can you possibly find my insecurities funny?"

Callie pursed her lips, considering how to explain herself. Turning toward her wife, she took her hands into her own, her thumb fiddling with the wedding band gracing Arizona's finger. "How long has it been since your amputation, Arizona?" she pointedly asked as she squeezed her hands.

Arizona rolled her eyes. "You know the answer to that, Calliope," she groaned in frustration.

"Answer the question, Arizona."

The blonde let out an exaggerated breath. "It's been almost eight years," she answered.

Callie smiled, nodding her head. "Right. So you're telling me that, in those eight years, you and I haven't shared even one romantic or sexy time together?"

"Callie. . ."

"I know it still bothers you sometimes, honey. . .and I know that even now, some things are still hard for you," Callie replied honestly. "But, you should know by now that it doesn't bother me. You are hot, and you are sexy, and you are my wife. I love you, Arizona. I'm so grateful that you are here with me - whether you have one leg or no legs at all. There isn't one thing you do that I don't find sexy."

Arizona looked into Callie's soulful eyes before leaning over to rest her head on her wife's shoulder. "I have to say, Callie. . .you're getting pretty good at those little speeches," she replied as she continued to stare out into the locker room.

"That's because everything I just said is one hundred percent true," Callie replied, kissing the top of her wife's head.

Arizona smiled before releasing a cleansing breath from deep within her chest. "Just give me a minute, okay?" she requested.

"I'll give you all the time you need."

* * *

Exiting the locker room ten minutes later, they were led to their first destination by a young woman who introduced herself as Elena, stating that she would be their spa guide for the day. "Buenos días, señoras. ¿Le gustaría recibir la plena Argán Hammam Ritual hoy? De hecho tiene algo más en mente?" she asked.

Arizona's eyes widened, questioningly regarding her wife as she awaited her translation of what Elena had just said. "She wants to know if we want the full _Argan Hammam Ritual_ or something else," Callie explained.

Arizona tilted her head to the side, shrugging her shoulders in response. "Sounds good to me," she replied, clearly unsure of what they were getting themselves into. She had briefly read over the information on Google, but maybe she hadn't done quite enough research. "What do you think?"

Callie laughed at the cuteness that was Arizona Robbins. "Let's do it. I'll try anything once," she teased.

Giving Elena the go ahead, Callie took Arizona's hand into her own, following closely behind the young woman as she led them to the first pool of many that would comprise the circuit of baths that they would be bathing in. Removing the towel she was wearing over her bathing suit before stepping into the first bath of warm water, Callie then walked down the steps into deeper waters before moving toward the edge of the pool where Arizona sat removing her prosthesis. "You ready?" she asked, offering a hand to assist her wife down into the bath.

"Promise me it's not freezing in there," Arizona whined as she scooted closer to the pool's edge, her toes hesitantly dipping into the water.

Callie smiled as Arizona took her hand. "It's not cold," she replied with a chuckle. "It's warm. I promise. I'm pretty sure the cold pool isn't until the end."

Arizona lowered her leg into the water, blindly trusting that her wife wouldn't lie to her about its temperature. Scooting forward, she then slipped into the bath, one hand holding Callie's, the other resting on a strong shoulder for support. "Thank you," she said with a smile once she was able to get her footing. Wrapping her leg around Callie's waist, she took a moment to share a less than chaste kiss with her wife as the Latina carried her toward a seating area in the water.

"You're going to have to stop doing that," Callie huskily replied into Arizona's ear once they were safely settled on the steps in the water. "You barely have on any clothes, and if you keep kissing me like that, I won't be held responsible for my actions," she continued as she nipped at her wife's ear lobe.

Arizona only laughed sexily in response before leaning over to peck at a caramel cheek. "Duly noted," she replied with a wicked smirk as she leaned back on her elbows, submerging her upper body in the water.

* * *

They moved through the course of warm, hot, and cold baths, the healing properties of the warmth and cold of the Hammam Ritual and the intimate atmosphere of the vaulted stone, candles, steam, and incense, a heady combination, but the ideal setting for relaxation and enjoying the day together. While bathing, the lovers alternated between sitting in comfortable silence, enjoying the old world traditional treatments, to laughing and flirting shamelessly as they stole quick kisses and less than innocent touches below the surface of the water.

After soaking in the final bath, they were led to a small room for their hot stone massages where special soaps and Argan oils were used to cleanse their bodies, drawing out toxins and soothing their skin. While the attendant was giving her the famous firm massage followed by placing a line of hot stones up her legs, Callie lifted her head, looking over toward her wife who lay face first on her own massage table not three feet away. "You doing okay over there?" she asked when she heard a slight moan leave her wife.

"Mmmm, wonderful," Arizona mumbled into the face cradle of her massage table as her own massage therapist lined the large muscles at either side of her spine with stones before covering her naked form with a sheet.

Callie smiled happily before relaxing back into her head rest, grateful that her wife was enjoying herself. She knew that this was Arizona's surprise to her, but after the brief moment of insecurity the blonde experienced while in the locker room, Callie was determined to make sure that she was taking pleasure in this luxurious treatment just as much or more than she was.

Neither spoke another word throughout the rest of the treatment. After the stones were finally removed from their completely limpid bodies, the massage therapist left them alone, allowing them time to cool off as they enjoyed the continued aromatherapy.

"Callie?" Arizona finally said into the silence of the room.

"Hmm?"

"I lied to you earlier today," she replied without moving an inch.

"What do you mean?" Callie asked, too lost in the tranquility of the experience to even care.

"I think we should live here. I'll get used to the heat as long as we can do this. . .every. Single. Day."

* * *

Spending their day disconnected from the modern world, bathing in luxury in ancient baths was perfect rehab for their minds, bodies, and souls. The benefits of the warm, hot, and cold baths had been praised for centuries and were famous for increasing energy and an overall feeling of invigoration - both of which they were in desperate need of. The scent of flowers and exotic spices permeated the air as Callie helped Arizona slip into the multiple turquoise salt pools for an invigorating aromatherapy session that they were sure they would never forget.

While at the spa, they talked, giggling and laughing together as they soaked in the baths before enjoying hot stone anti-stress and relaxation massages followed by individual treatments by a reflexologist. Neither woman had ever felt as pampered as they did when they stepped out the doors of _Aire de Barcelona_ on their way to explore the surrounding sites. They ate not far from the spa in the trendy _Borne District _before wandering the streets, shopping for themselves and Sofia.

Hours later, Arizona found herself standing at _The Vilanova Grand Marina _facing a beautiful private yacht. The fresh air was intoxicating, the wind in her hair and the sun on her face all combining to create the perfect feeling of tranquility.

Looking away from her surroundings, she found Callie staring at her, grinning from ear to ear. "Ta-Da!" she stated with her arms held out wide, gesturing toward the boat.

Arizona couldn't help but smile at the woman before her. Callie looked absolutely ravishing in a beautiful black dress that showed of her now ridiculously tanned back, the front plunging low and affording her a miraculous view. "_Mi siempre_," the blonde said, reading the black script painted beautifully across the side of the yacht.

Callie giggled at her wife's slightly botched pronunciation. Approaching her, she wrapped her arms around her waist from behind, resting her chin on Arizona's shoulder. "It means. . ._My Forever_," she whispered into her ear.

Arizona felt the sting of tears begin in her eyes. This vacation had been everything she had hoped it would be, despite the terrible day they experienced only a few days prior. The past month had been one of the hardest they had experienced in their married life, but standing here - right now - wrapped up in the arms of the woman she had spent almost ten years loving, there wasn't a single thing she regretted.

With wisps of pink and orange painting the sky as the sun sank further and further into the horizon, the sea air whipped around them, creating a sense of peace that Arizona couldn't quite remember every experiencing. Refusing to allow herself to get too emotional and chance ruining whatever Callie had planned for them, she turned around, placing a sweet kiss to full lips. Pulling back, and popping one of her cheekiest smiles, she said, "Well then, my lady. Lead the way."

Taking her wife's hand, Callie helped her to step from the dock and onto the vessel. Moving around the deck, Arizona was yet again awestruck as she took in the sight before her.

At the front of the yacht, there was a round table set beautifully for two, and on it, a meal that looked like it was ordered from one of the finest restaurants in Spain. There was a bottle of Arizona's favorite champagne chilling in a bucket in the middle of the table, candles flickering and rose petals scattered across the deck to create the most perfect of romantic settings. "Callie," she finally spoke, overwhelmed by her wife's gesture. "This is. . .wow. This is too much."

Callie smiled, waving her off. "Don't be silly," she replied. "This is just me saying thank you. Thank you for bringing us to Spain. Thank you for the trip to New York. Thank you. . .for being _you_," she continued. "I've had a wonderful time with you, baby. We haven't spent this much time alone together in. . .well, it's been _way_ too long," she softly stated as she moved around the table to pull out a chair for her wife.

Arizona smiled as she sat down, suddenly feeling ravenous as the sight and smell of the beautiful meal set out before her assaulted her senses. "Dinner looks delicious, Callie. How did you organize all of this, anyway?" she wondered as she accepted the empty champagne glass the Latina offered her.

Callie smiled as she lifted the bottle of champagne from the stainless steel bucket. "Oh, I have my ways," she teased with a wink. "Don't worry about it. All you have to do is relax and enjoy yourself. That's what tonight is about. You. . .me. . .and a night spent sailing away together."

"Sailing?" Arizona asked in surprise.

"Well, of course sailing, silly!" Callie laughed. "What did you think we were going to do? Just sit here in the marina all night?"

Arizona didn't really know what to say. "Well, no. . .I just. . ."

"We're going to eat this wonderful meal, drink this expensive champagne, and toast to us while we enjoy the ride that Miguel up there is going to take us on," she interrupted, hitching her thumb toward the man standing at the helm of the boat. "Then. . .later on, Miguel is going to take that little boat over there. . ." Callie pointed to the side of the yacht where a small speed boat sat. ". . .and he's going to go to shore while you and I. . .spend the night out here making love under the stars," she finished confidently, desperately hoping that Arizona would be _on board _with her plan.

Arizona opened her mouth a couple times, but no words came out. She was quite literally speechless. This was just absolutely - without a doubt - the happiest she'd been in a very long time.

Recognizing her wife's speechlessness and not wanting anything to get too emotionally heavy, Callie raised her glass in midair, motioning for Arizona to do the same. Looking into deep blue eyes she smiled slightly as she cleared her throat. "I want to propose a toast. . .to _us_," she began, unable to control the mist of tears that gathered in her eyes. "To our marriage. To our family. . .and to our future. I love you Arizona Robbins just as much, if not more than I did the day I had the pleasure of making you my wife. We've had our fair share of ups and downs, but in the last eight years, I can honestly say that not a day has gone by where I haven't felt like the luckiest person alive to be married to you," Callie was forced to clear her throat again as a single tear slid down her cheek. "So. . .here is to you and to me, and to a lifetime of love," she toasted.

Arizona's eyes sparkled with unshed tears of joy. Knowing she didn't have to say a single word because she knew without a doubt that Callie knew she felt the exact same, she raised her glass and lightly clinked it with her wife's.

"To us."

* * *

Later that evening, Arizona relaxed on a deck chair, enjoying a beautiful cocktail that Callie had put together for her as she watched them approach what she assumed were the Balearic Islands. Her wife was up top talking to Miguel, the Spanish skipper, who had for the past couple of hours guided the vessel over the sea, while simultaneously giving them their privacy.

Sipping her beverage, she felt a little full from the wonderful dinner Callie had put together for them which consisted of _ensalada mixta, patatas con pimentón, y estofado de pollo con arroz y aceitunas verdes_, which was just Callie's sexy Spanish way of saying mixed greens salad, roasted paprika potatoes, and braised chicken with green olives and rice. Following the salad and main course, they enjoyed a scrumptious dessert of white chocolate cheesecake, Arizona's personal favorite, along with Spanish cinnamon ice cream. As they ate, drank, and laughed, they took in some of the most beautiful sights along the Mediterranean Sea while talking about the highlights of their trip. Arizona was glad to have Miguel as their captain and tour guide, but right now, she was desperately looking forward to being alone with her wife. To sit back wrapped up with Callie would be nothing short of perfect.

While waiting for her wife to return, Arizona maneuvered herself to sit near the bow of the yacht, making sure she had plenty of support. Removing her shoes and hitching up her dress, she let her feet dangle off the side of the vessel, the spray of the cool sea water splashing her bare leg. She tilted her head back, sighing in contentment as her hair blew in the breeze. She really couldn't remember the last time she felt this free - this relaxed. Sitting on the side of a beautiful yacht, cruising the Mediterranean with the wind in her face and hair with her beautiful wife nearby - this would be a memory she would cherish for the rest of her life.

"Arizona?" Callie's concerned voice interrupted the serenity of her moment causing her to startle a bit, but otherwise remain still. "Oh, my God," the Latina exclaimed loudly as she quickly moved down the stairs to find her sitting on the very edge of the moving vessel. "You scared the crap out of me, babe. I thought you fell overboard. You better be careful there, pretty lady," she warned.

Arizona only tilted her head further back, enjoying the last rays of evening sun as they kissed her skin. "Join me?" she softly requested.

Callie was pleased with her wife's request. "Give me ten minutes, and then I'm all yours," she said with a smile. "Miguel is getting ready to go to shore, but he wants to get us a little closer to the Balearic Islands before he goes."

Arizona only hummed in agreement as she continued to relax, the sight causing Callie to chuckle quietly to herself. A carefree Arizona was something that warmed her heart, and she felt happy and content knowing that she was partly responsible for that. It was her goal in life after all, to always look after Arizona, to always treasure her, and to always show her just how much she loved her.

Right now, the vision of her beautiful wife looking so content and so happy proved that she was indeed doing her job.

Standing atop the small set of stairs, Callie secretly watched her wife. She knew that she hated when she did so - watching her when she wasn't aware - but it was one of Callie's favorite things to do. It was times like these when Callie found Arizona the most beautiful - so relaxed and so comfortable in herself - and she could get lost in staring at her for hours on end.

After thanking and saying goodbye to Miguel and with specific instruction on what she needed to do with the yacht for the night, Callie returned to find Arizona in the exact same position she left her. Smiling to herself, she crept up behind her wife as quietly as she could, grabbling a single red rose from the table on the way. Bending down carefully behind the blonde, she wrapped her arms around her newly sun kissed neck with the rose held out for her inspection. "For you, my love," she offered.

Arizona smiled as she strong arms wrapped around her, the rose hovering close to her face. Taking it from her wife, she turned around to look into her eyes. "Thank you, Calliope. It's lovely," she said, treating her wife to a soft kiss.

Running her tongue along pink lips, Callie hummed as she deepened the kiss. Now that they were alone, all she wanted was to feel her wife - to get lost in her - as they floated on the gentle sea with the sunshine giving way to a newly risen moon shining on the water like a pale band of silver.

Feeling Callie's increasingly insistent kisses coupled with the hands that were now beginning to wander over her body, Arizona forced herself to pull away, much to her wife's dismay. "Don't pout at me like that, Calliope," she joked as she motioned for Callie to join her.

"This morning you promised to make up for not showering with me, and I plan on collecting on that promise," Callie childishly replied, though her eyes betrayed her tone.

"And you promised _me_ that you'd join me when you were finished with Miguel, so why don't we compromise?" Arizona suggested. "You come sit with me and enjoy the beauty of the Mediterranean Sea, and then, later on. . .I'll make love to you for as long as you want - in whatever way you want. . ." she trailed off, suggestively wagging her eyebrows in that way that never failed to get Callie all hot and bothered.

Callie smirked as she less than gracefully threw herself down next to her wife. "Well, I'm not turning down that deal!" she exclaimed. Slipping off her shoes, she wrapped her arm around Arizona's waist, pulling her in as close as possible. Although the sun had faded into the horizon, the temperature was still warm, the breeze from the water gently caressing her skin. Leaning her head on her wife's shoulder, Callie squeezed her middle as she accepted the hand that landed in her lap. Sitting in comfortable silence, they enjoyed each other's company while taking everything in, lost in their own thoughts as they delighted in quiet time spent together with no interruptions.

As night quickly fell upon them, with the moonbeams floating upon the waves under the evening stars, Callie stood up, pulling Arizona along with her. Turning around, the blonde gasped for what seemed like the hundredth time since arriving on the _Mi Siempre_. Where the table was once set for their dinner, now lay an assortment of plush cushions and blankets, creating a cozy area just big enough for two. Beside the pillows and bedding lay a bottle of wine with two glasses, the outer ledge of the yacht lined with small votive candles flickering romantically into the night sky.

Arizona turned back toward her wife who stood silently behind her. "Wh-when did you do all _this_?" she asked, amazed by the sentiment.

Callie smiled, happy that Arizona seemed pleased with her surprise. "Earlier. . .when you were sitting on your own," she replied. "You were so immersed in your own thoughts and the beauty of the sea that you didn't even notice me."

"I always notice you, Callie," Arizona replied honestly.

"You know what I mean," Callie softly countered.

Hearing soft strains of piano filtering through the sea air, Arizona tilted her head to the side, taken aback by the sound. "Callie?"

Pulling her wife toward her, Callie led her to the deck near the mounds of pillows. "Dance with me, Arizona," she stated, her words more of a demand than a request.

Smiling, Arizona stepped into Callie's loving embrace before lacing her arms around her neck. "I love this song," she said as she nuzzled her nose against her wife's cheek, their bodies swaying together to the music.

"I know," Callie replied, placing a gentle kiss under her ear before pulling the blonde flush against her, softly singing into her ear. _"Will it say, the love you feel for me? Will it say, that you will be by my side? To see me through. . .until my life is through. Well. . .in my mind, we can conquer the world. In love. . .you and I. You and I. . .you and I. . ."_

Arizona giggled as Callie's breath tickled her ear. Leaning back, her mood quickly sobered as she got lost in the soulful brown orbs staring back at her. Without saying a word, she slowly leaned forward, passionately capturing Callie's mouth in a long, sensual kiss. The Latina returned Arizona's kiss, lingering with fervent passion before tapering off to several small, soft kisses.

Resting her head upon her wife's shoulder, Arizona allowed her to lead as they swayed to the rhythm of the music. The stars shone brightly around them, the music echoing through the night as the wind picked up. Arizona shivered as the cooling night air assaulted her skin, goosebumps rising on her bare arms.

Noticing the slight tremble of her wife's form, Callie quickly wrapped her arms tighter around the blonde, hoping to shield her from the cold. "You cold baby?" she asked as she further tightened their embrace, her feet moving carefully to twirl Arizona as the song started to fade.

"Mmm. Just a little," Arizona murmured in response.

"Do you want to go down below?" Callie asked, worried about Arizona's comfort. "There's a nice comfy bed down there," she offered. While she loved the idea of lying down with Arizona outside wrapped up in blankets while gazing up at the stars with her, she didn't want her to get sick.

Arizona let her hands wander down the expanse of Callie's back. "Nope," she replied, deft fingers finding the zipper of her dress.

"You sure?" Callie asked as nimble fingers slowly pulled her zipper down. Feeling the cool night air hit her exposed back, she gasped into the night.

As the final bars of the song faded off into the Mediterranean Sea, all Arizona could think about was the sight and sound of Callie naked and writhing beneath her, screaming her name as she brought her wife to ecstasy over and over again. "I can think of a better way of warming up besides going down below," she said with a smirk. "Although, speaking of going down. . ." she trailed off, suggestively raising her eyebrows as she slipped her wife's dress off her shoulders and down her body until it pooled at her feet.

Callie moaned aloud at Arizona's suggestion, shivering again as she watched her now exposed body being hungrily gazed upon by her wife who stepped back, her eyes raking up and down her nearly naked form. Callie swallowed hard, attempting her hide her nerves as Arizona shamelessly ogled her.

This trip had done wonders for her self-esteem - her wife making her feel more beautiful than she had in months. Arizona always made her feel desired, but at times, Callie still had difficulty restraining the old insecurities that would materialize from time to time, but during their time away, she felt every bit as sexy as she had ten years ago. Now though, with Arizona staring at her like an animal craving its next meal, Callie felt exposed for more reasons than the fact that she was standing in only her bra and panties in the middle of the Mediterranean.

Arizona sensed her wife's slight unease, but didn't dare move a muscle, nor did her salacious gaze falter. Callie was a sight to behold - no questions asked - with her smooth skin now tanned a few shades darker, long toned legs going on for miles, and wearing nothing but matching lacy red bra and panties, Arizona wanted nothing more than to dive in and savor her all night long. While she was determined to make sure that their sex life didn't diminish once they got back to Seattle, she also knew that this would be her last opportunity to act as freely and as promiscuously as they had been while on vacation. This was their last night away, so she planned on taking advantage of every last minute she had with her wife while making her scream in ecstasy all night long.

"Are you just going to stand there staring at me all night?" Callie's voice broke the silence of the moment.

Arizona laughed huskily, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she walked slowly around her wife coming to stand behind her. "Baby, I promise you I'm going to do much more than just look at you tonight," she replied sexily. "But, you need to have patience," she warned. "Do you think you be patient for me, Calliope?" she whispered into her wife's ear, her own body never coming in contact with the Latina's delicious skin.

Callie whimpered at the sounds of her wife's lust-filled voice. Dominant Arizona was fucking hot - there was simply no other way of phrasing it. She loved when Arizona took charge, and the thought of her wife taking her tonight sent thrills through her already pulsating form.

Arizona giggled quietly to herself as she watched Callie fidget, shifting her weight from side to side. She knew her wife - she knew how worked up she was already and that she was probably going out of her mind with want - but she desperately wanted to have some fun before giving in to her needs. Forcing Callie to stand there untouched, Arizona removed her own dress before quietly stepping forward to firmly press her front against Callie's back.

The result was instantaneous, both women releasing contented sighs of relief. As Callie pressed backward, Arizona pressed forward creating a delicious friction which made both women more aroused than they already were. "Mmm. You feel. . .amazing, baby," Arizona purred, bringing her hands around to cup heavy breasts, her fingers wasting no time in tweaking Callie's already hardened nipples through the material of her bra.

Callie's eyes fell shut, her head dropping back onto Arizona's bare shoulder. "Oh yeah?" she teasingly questioned. "Y-you do. . .too," she stuttered, enjoying the wonderful sensation of her wife's hands finally caressing her body. "More, Arizona."

Arizona not so gently pinched the turgid buds before rolling them between her thumbs and index fingers. "What did I say about being patient, hmm?" she teased as Callie let out a small yelp, her body arching at the pained pleasure.

"S-sorry," Callie sheepishly replied.

Arizona smirked, knowing that the brunette would do whatever she told her to in the hopes of achieving the release she desperately craved. "You have the most _amazing_ breasts, Calliope," she breathed out as she molded them in her hands, tugging at them with a firm gentleness that she knew drove her wife wild.

Callie could only moan, lost in the sensation of the blonde's hands on her body, her aroused brain refusing to allow her to make words, though she was more than happy to stand there and let Arizona have her way.

Not wanting Callie to become complacent, however, Arizona harshly bit down on her shoulder as her hands began a southward journey over the soft swell of her abdomen before coming to rest at her panties.

"Ow! Jesus, baby!" Callie squealed.

"Oh, stop," Arizona demanded. "You know you liked it," she continued as she carefully knelt down, her eyes now level with the firm ass she adored. Without a moment's hesitation, she pulled the now soaking panties down caramel legs, Callie helping by quickly stepping out of them.

Callie could feel her heart racing with anticipation, her clit throbbing with wanton pleasure, sure that she would come the moment Arizona finally touched her.

Arizona kissed, bit, and licked her wife's backside, enjoying the gasps and whimpers falling from Callie's mouth. Running her hands up and down toned legs, she stopped to squeeze the hips she loved to hold onto in the throes of pleasure. Ever so slowly, she made her way back up her wife's form, trailing kisses from her knees to her behind, up her back and all the way to her neck where she latched on to suck hard.

"Oh, God," Callie groaned as she thrust backward, her hands flying behind her, desperate to touch her wife only to have them swatted away. "Please, Arizona," she begged. "I can't take much more. I. . .God. . .please, touch me," she stammered, her core now dripping wet and her nipples straining painfully against her bra. She needed her wife's touch. She needed to come - and quickly.

"You really want this, don't you?" Arizona teased, finally allowing her fingers to slide ever so lightly through wet curls.

Callie immediately bucked into Arizona's hand. "Yes! God yes!" she screamed, her inhibitions long gone. She might love dominant Arizona, but teasing Arizona was a whole different ballgame. Callie knew her wife loved to tease and unfortunately knew from experience exactly how long this could go on. If things didn't soon speed up, she was seriously afraid she might spontaneously combust.

"How much do you want it?" Arizona's asked. "I want to know, Calliope. Tell me how badly you want me to fuck you," she forcefully commanded, accentuating each spoken word with a thrust of her hips.

Oh, dear Lord. Arizona Robbins was going to be the death of her. "Fuck, Arizona!" Callie cried into the dark abyss of the night. "I want it so bad. I need it. . .so, _so_ much. Now, baby. I need you. P-please f-fuck me," Callie sputtered, rocking her body back and forth and squirming side to side desperately seeking some sort of friction.

Deciding that she had teased enough, her own arousal increasing to epic proportions as she listened to Callie's pleas of desperation, Arizona made one final demand as she finally removed her wife's last remaining piece of clothing. "I'll give you what you so desperately want, baby, but I want to hear you scream my name. Do you hear me?" she asked as she harshly tugged Callie against her. "There's no one around for miles, and I want you to be loud for me, Calliope."

Callie frantically nodded her head. "Yes. P-please, baby. I'm so close," she whimpered, having no qualms about begging at this point. She was putty in Arizona's hands, and they both knew it.

"Good girl," Arizona goaded, stepping back slightly to bring her hand down firmly against her wife's delectable ass.

Callie jumped a mile into the air at the sensation before quickly turning around to take in the sight of her naked wife for the first time since this teasing began. Moving forward, she reached for Arizona's naked form, but was thwarted when she quickly moved away with a seductive smirk on her face.

"I don't think so, Calliope. You aren't in charge here. I am, and you're going to do exactly as I say," she said with a rueful shake of her head. "And _I say_ that you're going to lie down on your back right now with your legs spread for me."

Callie just about came right then and there. "Oh, fuck. . ." she mumbled as she did as her wife requested, settling herself comfortably onto the mound of pillows and blankets on the covered deck of the yacht.

"You're right, Callie. I am going to fuck you," Arizona agreed. "I'm going to fuck you until you scream," she cockily stated as she sat on a deck chair to remove her prosthesis.

Callie whimpered for the hundredth time that night, feeling the evidence of her own arousal dripping down her thighs - she was quite literally soaking. It wouldn't take much - she and Arizona both knew that within seconds of the blonde touching her - she would be coming, perhaps harder than she ever had before.

Arizona immediately settled onto Callie's right thigh, both gasping into the night at the sensation of the blonde's arousal coating the Latina's skin.

"Feel what you do to me, baby? See how w-wet you make me?" Arizona stuttered as she started moving slowly against the strong thigh, her teasing of her wife ultimately torturing herself, as well.

Callie moved her body against her wife's center, intoxicated by the sight, sound, and feeling of Arizona riding her leg. "Y-yeah. I feel you, baby. I-I love you all w-wet. . .so hot. . .so sexy," she husked, the night air cold, but her body dramatically overheated.

Arizona leaned down, her mouth now level with one of Callie's full, rounded breasts. Blowing cool air onto a rigid peak, her eyes looked up and connected with those of her wife who was desperately gazing down upon her.

"You want me to fuck you now, Calliope?" she asked before sucking hard on a tight nipple.

Callie's back arched, the assault on her breast sending a surge of electricity directly to her pulsating clit. "YES, Arizona! FUCK ME, NOW! PLEASE!" Callie screamed, her voice echoing over the Mediterranean just as Arizona wanted.

Pleased with her wife's response, Arizona finally took pity on the woman writhing beneath her as she unceremoniously thrust three fingers into her slick entrance as she fervently rocked herself down on Callie's thigh, desperately wanting to be there right along with her wife when she toppled over that edge.

"Oh, my God! Oh. . .yes. Yes! Thank you. . .thank you," Callie loudly moaned, the intimate friction finally providing some relief and feeling more than amazing. Her head was spinning, her breath coming in short bursts from the sensory overload as Arizona's long fingers filled her to the hilt - long, deep, and hard thrusts creating glorious waves of pleasure just the way she liked it.

Moans from both lovers soon began to echo through the night air. The candles flickering around them and the sound of the water lapping against the anchored yacht serving as background noise as breathless gasps, hushed whimpers, and guttural moans fell from needy mouths.

Suckling none to gently at Callie's breasts, Arizona urgently rode the Latina's thigh as she picked up the pace of her fingers, panting with every thrust into Callie and every harsh touch against her own clit. Nearing her own release, she pushed herself up on unsteady arms, finding Callie's eyes heavy with lust and desire.

They stared into each other's eyes, unadulterated passion and love swirling in their depths, words barely formed as both their breaths were stolen. Callie's brow furrowed. "A-Arizona. . .baby," she choked out, her orgasm quickly approaching.

"Scream for me, Calliope. Be loud for me. I want to hear you, baby," Arizona breathlessly replied as she rode Callie faster and harder with each rhythmic thrust, her fingers between her wife's leg following suit.

Callie threw back her head, Arizona's name ripping from her throat and bouncing off the still waters as her climax hit her in a wild burst of ecstasy. "Arizona! Yes! I'm c-coming!" she screamed. Her entire body seized with soul-shattering intensity as she writhed on the blanket covered deck. With her hands seeking purchase of Arizona's shoulders, her nails dug in sharp enough to draw blood as her orgasm continued to ravish her body.

At the sight of her wife lost in the throes of such exquisite sensation, Arizona tumbled over the edge in an intense eruption of pleasure right along with her. Her back stiffened, her head dropping to Callie's chest as wave after wave of rapture assaulted her shuddering body, her mind desperately encouraging her to remember to breathe.

What felt like hours later, Arizona slumped down, sweaty and exhausted, onto the still body lying beneath her. The cold air around them soothed her burning body causing an intense shiver to tingle through her entire body.

Feeling the goosebumps rise over her wife's back, Callie blindly reached to her side, grabbing a fluffy duvet to cover their quickly cooling bodies. Without saying a word, she closed her eyes, delighting in the feeling of her own heart continuing to race, the weight of Arizona's body resting atop her, serving to slowly bring her down from her own orgasmic high. "I love you, baby," she murmured against blonde hair as her fingertips ghosted up and down the long muscles of her wife's spine.

"Mmmm, me too," Arizona replied, slowly leaning up, crossing her arms over Callie's chest and resting her chin against her arms. Gazing into her wife's eyes, she smirked before pecking at moist lips.

"What?" Callie asked. "What are you smirking at?"

Arizona laughed, leaning forward to suck on a full bottom lip. "Do you realize. . ." she began after releasing Callie's lip with a pop. ". . .that it's been over two months since we've had sex in our own home, _but_ in the past two weeks, we've made love in two hotel rooms, by a swimming pool. . .more than once, on the beach, in about five rooms of a Spanish Villa, and now on the deck of a yacht in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea?"

Callie's tilted her head to the side, her smile widening with the memory of each of those romantic encounters. "We're like a couple of horny teenagers," she remarked, craning her neck forward to run her tongue along pink lips. "Is that a problem?" she asked, a perfectly manicured eyebrow rising in question.

Arizona winked seductively before slithering her way down her wife's body. "No, no problem," she cheekily replied, her head quickly disappearing below the blanket.

Callie's back suddenly arched painfully when she felt her wife forcefully suck her still throbbing clit between her lips. "Arizona!" she screamed in surprise.

The sound of muffled laughter emanated from below the covers. "What, Calliope?" she coyly asked. "I'm not finished making up for lost time."

* * *

The sounds of seagulls squawking in the air and the increasingly loud rumble of a speed boat jolted Callie from her blissful slumber. Opening one eye, her hazy mind quickly realized that morning had broken and that she and Arizona were still sprawled ungracefully - and completely naked - on the deck of _My Forever_. "Shit! Arizona!" she yelled, her voice hoarse from their nocturnal affairs and from breathing the cool night air. Bolting upright, she hastily grabbed for any and every piece of clothing she could find.

"Hmm? What, Callie?" Arizona sleepily grumbled. "Why are you shouting?"

Callie leaned over, grabbing for Arizona's prosthesis. "Wake up, babe," she insisted. "Miguel is going to be here in about two minutes, and I'd really rather he not see you completely naked."

Arizona's eyes instantly shot open, her wife's words finally sinking in. "Oh, shit!" she spat. "Give me my leg!"

After securing a blanket around her body, Callie helped Arizona to do the same while she hastily donned her prosthesis. Hearing the speed boat come to a stop next to the yacht, Callie's eyes widened as she pulled her wife into standing.

"Permission to come aboard, señoras," Miguel called, his voice dangerously close.

"Just a minute, Miguel," Callie insisted as she grabbed all of the bedding and clothing from the deck.

Arizona giggled at the sight of her clearly flustered wife. Picking up her own bra and panties from where it rested on a deck chair, she quickly followed Callie below deck, the lovers laughing giddily the entire way.

* * *

Later that day, after hoisting the last of their luggage into the SUV, Callie then slammed shut the hatch. "Is that everything?" she asked her wife as she closed the door to the bungalow one final time.

"I think so," Arizona replied, brushing her hands together, he voice slightly melancholy at this thought of leaving their lovely little vacation home. "I'm going to miss this place," she sadly admitted.

Callie tilted her head to the side, her lips pouting. "Don't be sad, sweetie," she softly insisted, taking her wife's hand and leading her to the passenger's side of the vehicle. "We have a beautiful little girl waiting for us at home, and I'm sure that the moment we see her at the airport, you're going to forget all about this place."

Arizona smiled ruefully as Callie opened the door for her. "I don't think I'll ever be able to forget this place. . .or this entire trip, Calliope."

"I know, babe. Me neither. I was just trying to cheer you up."

Shutting her wife's door, Callie made her way around the vehicle to take her seat behind the wheel. Adjusting the rearview mirror, she pulled her sunglasses from atop her head to cover her eyes. "You ready?"

Arizona smiled, leaning across the center console to peck her wife's cheek. "Yep," she replied. "Let's go see our girl."

Callie returned her wife's grin, turning the key in the ignition before pulling the gear shift into drive. The past two weeks had gone a long way in healing their bruised marriage - a long way in exposing both of their fears, insecurities, and weaknesses while at the same time rediscovering their strengths, desires, and visions of a future together. Their marriage needed a boost, and they both knew that it was going to take work to make it a priority, but they were wholly committed to doing so.

Watching the bungalow grow smaller and with every rotation of the SUV's tires, Callie and Arizona sighed simultaneously. The time had come for them to trade in their romantic vacation paradise for the real world - a world no less exciting, though - just _different_. A world where they were not only devoted mommies and busy surgeons, but most importantly a world where they were two people in love. Two people forging a path and finding their way to their own happily ever after, because despite all maleficence, accusation, and anger, they were two people who were made for each other.

* * *

**AN2: **The song mentioned in this chapter is _You and I _as sung by _Michael Buble. _Also, excuse the online translations for the Spanish parts. I'm more of a Latin and German girl.

**AN3: **I really hope you enjoyed this final chapter of their time away together. Next we're back in Seattle. Will they learn from their mistakes and continue to strengthen their marriage or will they end up back in the same mess they were in before? As always your reviews/comments are greatly enjoyed. Have a great week!


	11. Chapter 11

**Title: **Ready to Love Again

**Author:** HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Collaborator: **Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona

**Rating: **M/NC-17

**Summary: **After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer: **All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **A big thank you to Funkyshaz57 for her continued help. Thank you to everyone for continuing to support this story by reading and reviewing/commenting. Let's see how things are going back in Seattle. Enjoy!

* * *

"Hey, babe," Callie said, sidling up next to Arizona at the Pediatrics nurse's station. "It's Wednesday. . .coffee break together at work day," she said with a cheesy grin, handing her wife a cup of hot liquid as she playfully nudged her with her hip.

Arizona smiled, accepting the cup with her left hand as she signed off on a chart with her right. "Thank you," she replied cheerfully, her eyes betraying the delighted tone as she handed the chart back to the nurse behind the desk.

Turning to walk away, they made their way down the Peds hallway toward the nearest elevator. "I'm sorry movie night got ruined last night," Callie sadly stated. "Sometimes I really hate Owen Hunt."

"What happened?" Arizona asked, pressing the down button for the elevator.

"Ugh!" Callie growled in exasperation. "When I got here, the woman only had a broken wrist. No surgery necessary - just a damn cast. Any intern could have done it, but _instead_, they paged _me_."

Arizona sadly regarded her wife as they stepped into the elevator. "So, why didn't you just come home?" she asked, face forward watching the doors slide together.

Callie sipped from her cup, unsure if her wife's question was an angry one or a curious one. "I was on my way out the door when two buses pulled up. Head on collision. The guy broke his pelvis," she replied, gently placing her hand at the small of her wife's back to lead her off the elevator and in the direction of the cafeteria. "The surgery took five hours. By the time it was over, it was after four in the morning, so I just decided to stay here since I had to be back by seven," she explained, her watchful gaze never leaving Arizona's face in an attempt to decipher what she was thinking. "Did you not get my text?" she asked as they both took a seat at a table in a quieter area of the cafeteria.

Arizona nodded distractedly. "Umm. . .yeah. I got it."

Callie cautiously watched her wife from across the table, worried by her quiet and slightly ambiguous behavior. Deciding to bite the bullet and give the adult communication thing a try, she softly asked, "Hey. . .are you mad at me?"

Arizona's brow furrowed in contemplation. "What?" she scoffed. "No. I'm not mad."

"Really?" Callie asked with a smirk. "Because you seem kind of pissed."

Arizona sighed, quietly considering her words. Reaching across the table, she took Callie's left hand between her own. "I'm not mad. . .or _pissed_. I promise," she assured her. "I was just thinking. . ."

The loud blaring of a pager interrupted her admission, both surgeons rolling their eyes as they looked down toward the devices clipped to their lab coats.

"Damn it!" Arizona spat. "It's the NICU. I. . .I have to go," she continued, hastily standing from her seat.

Callie stood along with her. "I'll walk with you," she quickly offered. "You can finish telling me what you were thinking."

Before Arizona could reply, another notice sounded from one of their pagers. Once again rolling her eyes, Callie pursed her lips, blowing out a harsh breath. "It's mine. It's the ER."

Arizona stared at Callie, blue eyes just as conflicted as brown. "Go," Arizona said with a slight smile. "We can talk tonight."

"Sofia has basketball practice _and_ dance class tonight," Callie practically whined.

"And you see Dr. Wyatt," Arizona dejectedly added. Determined to find time in the day to spend with her wife, she wracked her brain for something - anything at all. "Meet me in the fourth floor on-call room for lunch?" she offered with a shrug of her shoulders.

Callie smiled brightly, her mood instantly lifting. "Of course," she replied with a wink. "I'll see you then," she added, rushing toward the ER. Quickly turning back around to see her wife's hastily retreating form, she called out, "Hey! Should I _actually bring_ lunch? Or. . ." Spying the wicked grin of a Cheshire cat on her wife's face was all the answer she needed.

Once again turning away from one another, both women went on about their days with a renewed spring in the step and a lightness in their hearts.

* * *

The door to the on call room slammed shut, two bodies falling against it as harsh breaths were expelled from lungs and two sets of hands moved frantically over the other's body.

"Hurry. Please, baby. . ." Callie rasped as she felt Arizona's hand slip under her scrub pants and past her panties.

"How long do we. . .Oh fuck. How long do we h-have?" Arizona breathed when she felt Callie's hand slide down the front of her own pants.

"Not l-long. . .shit. Owen said. . ."

But whatever Owen had said, Arizona never found out because the next thing Callie felt was a pale hand firmly covering her mouth. "Never _ever_ mention Owen Hunt while I have my fingers inside you, Calliope," Arizona growled as she pushed forward, her fingers plunging deeper into the tight depths of her now panting wife.

Callie's threw her head back against the door. "S-sorry," she husked. "Please. . .I'm almost there," she moaned, her hips moving frantically while simultaneously making sure to keep her own fingers thrusting inside her wife.

"Harder. . .please. . .so c-close," Arizona panted.

Callie screwed her eyes closed as she concentrated on pleasuring her wife. She was so close - they both were - just a couple more well placed thrusts and vigorous swipes of their thumbs would do it. Drawing in a ragged breath, she forced herself to continue pleasuring the blonde, though it was becoming harder and harder to do when her own arms and legs were beginning to shake uncontrollably. Callie was determined, though - determined to bring Arizona to her peak.

"Umm. . .Dr. Torres?" a voice called from behind the closed door, a loud knocking accompanying it. "The labs are back on your patient."

All movement stopped inside the on-call room, Arizona's head falling to rest on her wife's shoulder with a loud sigh. "Wh-what's her hemoglobin?" Callie asked, trying to keep her tone patient.

"5.8, Dr. Torres," came the meek response of the intern on the other side of the door. "Should we. . .?"

Callie rolled her eyes at the hesitance and uncertainty of her intern. "What do you think _we_ should do, Dr. McCartney?"

"Umm. . .I. . .well. . ."

"What would all of the textbooks tell you to do?" Callie asked, trying to keep her cool, though it was difficult with her wife's fingers still buried deep inside her, Arizona's hot breath against her neck.

"Well, they would tell me to. . .umm. . ."

Callie once again rolled her eyes, obscenities mumbled under her breath. "She needs a transfusion!" she spat, her patience now completely gone. "Unless you want her to end up in acute organ failure or cardiac arrest," she bitterly informed, her voice rising. "Do you want that, McCartney? Do you want your patient to die from the complications of a simple hip replacement? Or do you want her to go back home so that she can play with her six grandchildren?"

"Dr. Torres. . .I. . ."

"Give her the damn blood!" Callie hastily interrupted. "And don't come to find me again until you've done so."

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry to bother you, Dr. Torres.

Callie listened for the sound of footsteps hastily retreating from the on-call room door before once again beginning her ministrations against her wife's center. "Why do I always get the stupid ones?" she thought aloud.

"C-Callie," Arizona reluctantly muttered as she lifted her head from her wife's shoulder to meet her gaze. "We should stop."

Callie searched the blonde's face, her eyebrows rising in question. "Stop? Really? But you were so close, baby. . ." she smirked, adamantly drawing tight circles over her wife's hardened nub.

Arizona removed her own hand from beneath her lover's pants as she grabbed onto Callie's wrist with the other. "You think I don't know that, Calliope? You have no idea how much I wanted this," she whined as she moved away from her wife to dejectedly sit down on the edge of the small on-call room bed.

Callie stared at Arizona, shocked that she actually walked away from her in the middle of sex. "Arizona? What the hell? It's been _way_ too long, and I need you."

And that was the truth.

It had been _way_ too long.

They had been back from Spain for just over a month, but some days it felt like a lifetime. Both women knew that coming back to work would be overwhelming - there were charts, notes, patients, and surgeries to catch up on, not to mention Sofia's activities - and while they were trying mightily to follow the schedule Callie had made, it was turning out to be way more difficult than they could ever have anticipated. That wasn't to say that they hadn't had _any_ alone time - because they had - it just tended to be interrupted at the most inconvenient times or was a quick fumble in an on-call room before they were back to running around at full speed.

While they weren't always able to keep to the schedule, they were working on it - they really were. Their trip had done so much to soothe their insecurities - that really was no longer much of an issue at all. They were happily married. In fact, their marriage felt stronger than ever - there was no denying that. They were communicating more than they ever had and learning to deal with stressors better.

On some days, one would leave a little note for the other if they missed each other in the morning, while the other would send a quick text message just to say_ 'I love you',_ but they were still struggling to find time to spend with each other on a regular basis. As hard as they tried, the fact still remained that they both had highly demanding and often stressful jobs, and topped with Sofia's school functions and extra-curriculars, they still needed to discover some magical way to free up some time alone together.

Looking up from where her eyes had fallen to her hands that were folded in her lap, Arizona turned back toward Callie to reply, but the moment she opened her mouth to speak, there was another knock on the on-call room door.

"The blood is hanging, Dr. Torres," McCartney informed.

Arizona growled in frustration before taking a deep breath and plastering a smile on her face.

"That's great, Dr. McCartney," Callie chided. "Did you need something else?"

"No, Dr. Torres. I just wanted to let you know."

Callie sighed heavily as she threw herself down on the bed next to her wife. "Thanks, McCartney," she replied, her eyes downcast. "I'll check on her in a little while."

Several silent moments passed, neither women knowing exactly what to say. "I'm sorry, sweetie," Callie finally spoke, leaning over to nip at her wife's earlobe. Slipping her hand under Arizona's scrub top, she ran the tips of her fingers over the smooth skin of her abdomen, then upward to cup a full breast through the silky material of her bra. "Let's try this again," she husked into her ear.

Arizona's eyes fell shut, enjoying the sensation of her wife's strong hands on her body. Calling all of her strength, she grasped Callie's hand through her shirt, halting the pleasant sensations that were once again beginning to course through her body. "Believe me, Calliope. There's nothing I want more right now than to have you screw me senseless, but I. . .I can't. Not with your defective intern constantly showing up right outside the door. It's too. . .distracting," she stated, quickly standing from the bed. "Besides, Owen will probably be paging you any second now."

The blonde did not like this one bit. Her body was still humming from the sensations Callie had been giving her just minutes before - her clit still throbbing painfully and her nipples standing at attention against her bra. She could still feel Callie's fingers thrusting in and out. . .

"Oh, fuck," she muttered to herself. She was sure those images were going to be burned into her brain for the rest of the day, and it took every ounce of willpower inside of her not to rush back over to Callie and push her to her knees, forcing her to lick her or to touch her until she screamed herself hoarse.

Callie looked at her wife from across the room, seeing the stress on her face - the frustration present not only at the interruption of their sexy time - but also at the fact that the last few weeks had been a true test of patience not only for Arizona, but for herself, as well. "I know. I know. . .and I'm sorry," she apologized honestly. "But we have date night this weekend, right? Sofia is staying with Zola after their basketball game, and you have the night off. . .and barring any emergencies or _stupidity_, I should too," she offered as she reached out to pull her wife up from the bed.

Arizona closed her eyes, an exaggerated sigh leaving her throat as Callie washed her hands at the small sink in the room. "Thank God," she stated with a slight smile. "Because I'm not sure how much longer I can wait!"

* * *

Callie navigated their _Audi A8 _up the driveway and into the garage, coming to a halt next to the _BMW X5 _already settled in its spot.

Looking toward the digital clock on the console, she groaned at the sight.

9:51pm.

After attending her appointment with Dr. Wyatt, she was just about to hang her lab coat in her locker in order to join her girls at dance class when her pager began to blare. Rushing toward the pit, she found that a taxi cab had crossed the highway median, only coming to a stop when it crashed into the front of a speeding eighteen wheeler. She and Owen worked feverishly on the injured cab driver for three hours, only to come out on the losing end of the battle.

Dragging her exhausted body from the vehicle, she grabbed her bag from the back seat of the car before trudging through the garage and into the house. As she entered their home, she noted that all was quiet in the house, save for the sound of a shower running upstairs. The light over the kitchen sink was lit, safely guiding her way toward the staircase that led to her family.

Callie sighed, saddened by the fact that she had missed out on basketball practice, dance class, and dinner at whatever Sofia's restaurant of choice was for the evening. Reaching the top of the stairs, she first peaked into the little girl's bedroom. Finding it empty, she noted that the light in her daughter's bathroom was lit underneath the closed door. Knocking softly, she let herself in before sitting on the closed lid of the toilet seat. "You're up late, Sof," she softly commented, trying not to startle the little girl.

Sofia peeked her head out from behind the shower curtain. "Hi, mommy," she tiredly replied. "I had to finish my book report after dance class," she stated. "It took longer than I thought it would."

Callie leaned forward to lay a gentle kiss against her daughter's wet forehead. "Hurry up and finish your shower, big girl," she urged. "I'll come back and help you dry your hair when you're finished."

"Thanks, mommy," she said, quickly disappearing behind the curtain.

Exiting the bathroom, she walked down the hallway toward the master bedroom in search of her wife. Opening the door, the sight before her never ceased to make her breath catch and her heart rate to speed up. "Hey you," she called to Arizona who sat propped up against the headboard, glasses resting on her nose, open _Journal of Pediatric Surgery_ in her hands. Stepping further into the room, Callie placed her hands on either side of her wife's body, leaning forward to grab a less than chaste kiss. "Sorry I'm late," she said honestly after reluctantly pulling away.

Arizona waved her off with a genuine smile on her face. "It's fine," she softly replied as she sat her journal onto the nightstand. "How was your appointment?"

Callie crossed the room to gather a pair of pajamas from the chest of drawers. "It was good," she admitted, turning back toward her wife. "Really, _really_ good, actually," she continued as she stripped off her street clothes to don a pair of flannel pajama pants and a t-shirt. Sitting on the bed next to her wife, she ran her hands up and down the length of Arizona's thighs. "Dr. Wyatt suggested that maybe. . .you should come with me next week," she hesitantly continued, looking down to anxiously fiddle with a loose string on the edge of the duvet. "She thinks maybe she could help us set some goals for our marriage and then help us figure out how to achieve them."

Arizona smiled as she removed her glasses from her face. "Why do you look so scared, Calliope?" she asked with a slight chuckle. "I told you I'd do whatever you needed me to - whatever _we_ needed to do," she continued, leaning forward to kiss her wife's cheek. "Besides, I kind of like the idea of going with you. At least I know we'll get to spend that hour together," she said with a wink.

Callie laughed softly at her wife's response, reaching forward to grab her by the shirt to pull her forward into a hard kiss. "God, I love you," she said breathlessly once she finally allowed them up for air. Leaning back in, she engaged her wife's lips in a softer, but no less passionate kiss, her hands wandering to the swell of two magnificent breasts.

"Mommy!" Sofia's voice interrupted the dance that their lips and Callie's hands had just begun. "I'm ready for you to dry my hair," she shouted down the hallway.

"She has perfect timing," Arizona stated breathlessly as she nuzzled her nose against Callie's. "But she was so exhausted when we got home tonight, I think she's finally starting to question the sanity of her choice of so many activities."

Callie's brow rose in question. "Oh really?" she said a little too excitedly. "Well, I'm going to go help her, and then when I get back, you're going to tell me all about this latest discovery," she insisted as she moved toward the bedroom door. "This may be the best news I've heard all day!"

* * *

Arizona's body arched harshly, the back of her head coming in contact with the cool tiles of the shower wall. "Oh God, baby. . .so close. . ." she husked, her fingers tangling and gripping tightly onto the brunette hair at the back of her wife's head that was now buried exquisitely between her thighs.

Callie hummed against the blonde's core, her strong arms tugging against her wife's slippery hips to slide her to the edge of the shower bench and closer to her face. As she deeply forced her tongue into her pulsing center, the blonde's hips bucked wildly when two deft fingers firmly massaged deliberate circles over her erect clit.

"Callie! Mmmm. . .Yes. . ."

"Momma!" Sofia's voice loudly filtered through the bathroom door, echoing over the sound of the stream of water spraying from the shower head.

"Oh, God!" Arizona groaned as Callie doubled the efforts of her fingers against her bundle of nerves. "Please. . .t-tell me you locked. . .the door," she stammered, tugging the Latina's head more firmly against her.

"Momma! I can't find my basketball jersey," the little girl yelled from the other side of the door.

"It's hanging in your. . .closet," Arizona instructed breathlessly, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. "I put it there YES-yesterday."

Callie knew she should stop to save them the embarrassment of Sofia figuring out what was going on, but Arizona was so, _so_ close. This was probably _so wrong_ on _so many_ levels, but after _so many_ starts and stops lately, she was determined to pleasure her wife - to make her come. She simply couldn't stop herself - she was devouring Arizona like a ravenous animal that hadn't eaten in weeks - starving to drink up every ounce of the intoxicating essence spilling forth from her lover's tight entrance.

Arizona wanted to push her wife away - she wanted to tell her to stop. It was the proper thing to do.

Right?

At this point in time, however, her climax was inevitable. There was no turning back, even as distracting as the little girl standing outside the door tended to be. Gasping aloud, Arizona bruisingly bit into her bottom lip to stifle the moan that was about to erupt from deep within her chest. Feeling the explosion of shattering release flood her entire body, the blonde went rigid with ecstasy as she forced her wife's face tightly against her as wave after wave of intense pleasure coursed through her body.

"I already looked in my closet," Sofia called back. "It's not there," she shouted.

Callie continued to stroke her wife with her tongue, slowly bringing her down from her orgasmic high. "Callie!" Arizona gasped again, her over sensitive clit tingling sharply. "Stop. Please," she softly insisted.

"Momma? Why is mommy in there with you?" Sofia questioned innocently.

Arizona slumped against the shower wall, her arms limply falling to her sides, her body completely dazed with pure fulfillment as it continued to thrum with rapturous delight.

"I'm. . .getting ready. . .for your game," Callie explained conspiratorially. "Momma's in the shower, but I'll be out in just a minute. . .when I'm finished. . .brushing my teeth. Ok?" she continued. "Go look in your closet again for your jersey, and I'll be right there."

"Ok. Thanks, Mommy," Sofia replied.

Callie turned back to face her wife who was sat in the shower looking absolutely gorgeous in her post coital haze. Kissing her way back up her body, Callie quickly captured Arizona's lips in a gentle and loving kiss. Finally pulling away after several long moments, she stared into her hazy cerulean eyes, smirking at her own handiwork and at the fact that they had nearly been caught. "Nicely done, Robbins," she teased as she stood from her knees, leaning forward to peck her wife's lips. "Way to keep your cool there, babe."

Arizona rolled her eyes as Callie stepped from the shower stall to grab a towel before wrapping it around her damp body. "I can't believe you," she whispered mischievously.

Grinning at her dumbfounded wife who still wore a stupefied look on her face, Callie peeked her head back into the door of the shower stall. "I'm going to go find an AWOL basketball jersey," she replied with a slight chuckle, pleased that she had clearly just rocked her wife's world. "You finish up. We'll be waiting," she continued before seductively sauntering across the bathroom and out the door.

* * *

"Pass the ball, Sofia!" Arizona yelled as she jumped up from her seat on the bleachers.

Callie smirked at her wife's outburst, tugging at the back pocket of her jeans to keep her from embarrassing their admittedly ball-hogging daughter. "Sit down, babe," she urged, wrapping her arm around her wife's waist when she did so.

Never taking her eyes off the game, Arizona leaned into her wife's embrace, enjoying the time spent together. "She needs to learn to. . .YES!" she cheered as she bounced back up from her seat.

Callie couldn't help but groan loudly, shaking her head and hiding her face in her hands as she watched Arizona do some sort of victory dance after their daughter scored her third three-pointer of the game. Unlike the blonde, Callie only clapped excitedly and smiled down at their baby girl, preferring not to embarrass her while also being supportive. Despite her amusement and slight embarrassment at her wife's over the top, but sincere antics, the Latina couldn't help but smile with pride and happiness. Seeing Arizona so ready to cheer on their daughter - seeing the fire in her eyes and the excitement she exuded - really did make her happier than she'd been in the last few weeks.

Maybe that morning's shower activities had rekindled a bit of hope inside them - or maybe it was just this time they were getting to spend together with the promise of some alone time later that evening - but either way, Callie loved the renewed sense of stability they both seemed to be experiencing at this moment.

Halftime and two eight minute quarters later, with Sofia having scored eighteen of the team's forty winning points, the Robbins-Torres family shared a table with the Grey-Shepherds at _Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream Shop. _"You girls ready to go?" Meredith asked, gathering her family's things from the table.

Sofia nodded, taking the last bite from her hot fudge sundae before hopping down from her seat. Grasping the little girl around her waist, Arizona pulled her in close. "Good game today, big girl," she said softly, pecking a kiss on her daughter's tanned cheek.

Callie did the same at the other side of her face. "Be good tonight, okay," she insisted.

"I will, mommy," Sofia replied as she hugged both of her mothers one right after the other.

"We'll pick her up in the morning," Arizona said to Derek. "And we'll take your kids next Saturday," she continued as she followed them out the door to retrieve Sofia's things from the car.

After making sure that Sofia was safely secured in the Shepherd's SUV and that she had everything she needed, Arizona returned to the table in the ice cream shop where Callie sat happily with a bowl of the blonde's favorite salted caramel ice cream. "What are you doing?" Arizona asked, taking the seat across from her wife.

Callie smiled as she loaded up a spoon of the sweet dessert for her wife. "Just a little pre date night date," she replied with a slight chuckle as she offered the spoon to her wife.

Arizona accepted the bite, humming her approval. "I love that stuff," she said, clearly enjoying the treat.

"I know you do," Callie replied simply. "It's caramel. . .just like me."

Arizona rolled her eyes at her wife's cheesy sense of humor, chuckling softly as the ice cream melted in her mouth. They sat in companionable silence, sharing bite after bite of the sugary delight until the blonde spoke. "Callie?"

"Hmm?" Callie responded, not looking up from digging the last spoonful from the bottom of the bowl. Offering it to her wife, her face fell when she noticed the somber look on Arizona's face. "What is it, babe? What's the matter?" she asked, lowering the spoon back into the dish.

Arizona leaned back in her chair, her eyes flicking around the ice cream shop. Finally looking toward her wife who sat staring nervously back at her, she cleared her throat. "This morning, I. . .well. . .damn it. . ." she trailed off, shaking her head at her inability to express her thoughts.

"What?" Callie quietly asked, worry evident on her face. "I know it was quick, but it was still pretty awesome for you," she stated, though the apprehension was evident in her tone. "I mean, it _was_ pretty awesome. . .right?"

Leaning forward, Arizona took her wife's hand that was now nervously fiddling with the spoon in the bowl between her own. "Of course it was awesome, Calliope," she insisted, watching as a relieved smile tugged at the corners of her wife's lips. "It always is. . .it's just. . .it's not enough," she nervously admitted, her thumb playing with the band of white gold and diamonds circling the Latina's left ring finger.

Frowning, Callie watched as her wife nervously fidgeted with her wedding ring. Reaching forward to stroke a finger over Arizona's brow, she then placed her fingers under her chin, gently pressing her upward to meet her gaze. Looking into blue eyes clouded with frustration and despair, Callie sighed. "Talk to me, sweetie," she quietly insisted.

Once upon a time, Callie might have gotten insecure at Arizona's comment of _'it's not enough'_, but now she instead chose to hear her out and not make something into nothing. It was something her counselor had been insisting upon - the fact that she needed to listen more - and not jump to conclusions.

Arizona swallowed hard, knowing that she needed to communicate with her wife. "It's just that. . .I miss you, Callie. I mean I know you're here with me now, and we were together earlier at Sofia's game, and we generally spend most nights together in the same bed, but. . .it's just. . .I miss being able to make love to you," she rambled in a rush. "Don't get me wrong this morning was _awesome_, but I want more than just a quickie here and there - and I certainly don't like having sex with our daughter standing right outside the door," she admonished with a huff. "I want to be able to lay down with you - to be able to take my time - to worship you like I did in Spain. I want hours to make us both feel good," Arizona explained, her gaze never faltering from the chocolate orbs staring into her soul.

Callie nodded in understanding, relieved that it wasn't anything more catastrophic than that. She knew exactly what Arizona was saying. While a quickie at work or in the shower was always fun, it wasn't the same as being able to explore each other's bodies for uninterrupted hours at a time. It wasn't the same as Arizona between her legs on a yacht in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, or Callie taking her wife from behind in the living room of a Spanish Villa where they could be as loud and free as they wanted. It was still satisfying, but just not the same, and she too was craving that uninterrupted time - those few hours where they could laugh and giggle or stare into each other's eyes as they rocked against each other while tangled up in their bed sheets - where they could voice their every desire and not worry about being overheard.

"I know, sweetie," Callie conceded. "I want that, too. Believe me - what I did to you this morning - it's nothing compared to what I _want_ to do to you. . . but, we've talked about all of this before, babe," she replied, softly drawing patterns across her lover's hand with the back of her thumb.

"I know we have," Arizona huffed, though Callie could see the twinkle in her eyes.

Chuckling softly, Callie leaned across the table to peck her wife's soft cheek. "First of all, Sofia has no idea what was happening in the bathroom this morning. We haven't scarred her for life or anything like that, so just go ahead and push those thoughts out of that pretty little head of yours," she began, smirking knowingly at her wife's guilty expression. "We might not be able to have sex on the kitchen counter or on a boat in the middle of the sea, but we promised each other to cherish whatever time we have together. I know it hasn't been perfect. I know we haven't had as much time as we thought we would, and I owe you a ton of naked massages, but that doesn't diminish the fact that I love you, Arizona. I love you, and you love me, and that's all that matters, right? We're both here, and we're both trying - I think harder than we ever have before. Sofia is happy, and while yes, I would love to have more time. . ." she trailed off, looking around for any witnesses to their conversation, her voice lowering to a sultry whisper, ". . .to make you scream my name louder than ever before, I'm still happy, babe. Very, _very _happy."

Leaning forward onto her elbows, Arizona regarded Callie curiously. "When did you get so wise?" she asked. "You're normally the. . ._horny one,_" she whispered. "You usually get all weird and in a funk if we haven't had sex in a couple days."

Callie gasped aloud, playfully swatting her wife. "Excuse me! I believe it's _you, _missy. . .who can't go a day without sex," she admonished, shaking her finger in her wife's direction. "You're the one who - might I remind you - attacked me in the shower this morning and shoved my head between your legs!" Callie dramatically continued, pretending to be offended.

Arizona couldn't help but burst into laughter at her wife's remark. Things hadn't been easy - that was for sure, and maybe she had been under some false illusions that they would return from Spain to things magically being perfect - but real life didn't work that way. These kinds of things took time - commitment and patience - something they both were still working on. Would she prefer to have more than ten minutes in an on call room with her wife? Yes, she would - but she had to admit - life was a lot happier now than it had been before they left for Spain. They still had next to no time together, but they were making an effort - they were finally communicating with each other after ten years together - and things really were a lot better.

"Fine! You got me," Arizona replied once she stopped laughing. "It's me. . .I'm the horny teenager in this relationship, but can you blame me?" She raised her eyebrows, wagging them flirtatiously as her eyes drifted down to her wife's delicious cleavage.

Callie smirked as she tracked the movement of the blonde's eyes. Her wife really was a sucker for her breasts - and her butt - and her legs. "Why are we still sitting in this ice cream shop, then?" she asked, quickly standing to grab her jacket and purse from the back of her chair. Reaching out to pull Arizona up from her own seat, she leaned in to kiss those pink lips she loved so much. "Let's get out of here so we can go home, order some kind of amazing take-out, and then sit in front of the fire drinking your favorite wine before ripping off each other's clothes and being naked for as long as you'd like."

Arizona moaned aloud at her wife's words. Abruptly throwing on her coat and grabbing her bag, she hastily pushed Callie toward the exit. "Move it, woman!" she insisted with a laugh. "The quicker we get out of here, the quicker we're both naked!" she happily exclaimed as the ice cream shop door swung closed behind them.

* * *

After feeding each other a delicious take-out meal from their favorite Sushi restaurant, the couple sat stretched out on the sofa sipping from their glasses of Arizona's favorite dry rosé. The blonde lounged nestled between her wife's outstretched legs as they watched the flames in the fireplace crackle and dance before them. "Today has been perfect," Arizona softly stated as she smoothed one hand along her wife's jean clad thigh, setting her wine glass down on the coffee table.

Kissing her wife's temple, Callie then laced her fingers through the pale ones now resting atop her leg. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Callie replied into the blonde's ear. "But, I certainly hope it's not over yet," she teased as she moved blonde hair over Arizona's shoulder as she laid a series of wet kisses down the exposed skin of her neck.

Arizona shivered as Callie blew cool air over her moist flesh before turning over in her wife's arms to passionately capture full lips with her own. Pulling away, she stared into the darkened eyes of the woman beneath her, taking the glass of wine from her wife and depositing it next to her own. "You know it isn't just about the sex, right?" she asked as she began to place gentle kisses along her jawline.

Callie's eyes fell shut, enjoying the sensations her wife was awakening inside of her. "What isn't just about the sex?" she asked, her mind beginning to cloud with thoughts of nothing other.

Arizona pulled away far enough to once again meet her wife's eyes. Stroking a gentle finger down the Latina's nose and over moist lips, the blonde sighed. "Callie, you're my best friend," she began, her voice hushed and sincere. "You're my shoulder to lean on, the one person I know I can count on. You're the love of my life - my one and only - you're my whole world," she continued as tears began to well in her eyes. "In all the craziness that is our life together, I just wanted more than seven seconds alone with you to tell you that," she continued. "Because the past few months have taught me that I need to appreciate every single moment I have to spend with you, no matter _what_ we're doing. I love you, Calliope - with every inch of my body, with every ounce of my soul, and with every beat of my heart."

Callie stared into the beautiful blue eyes gazing back at her, overcome by the depth of pure emotion she found there.

"So, it's not just about the sex. . ." Arizona quickly added, clearing her throat in an attempt to gather herself.

Callie reached out to gently push Arizona's bangs back from her forehead. "I know it's not just about the sex, babe - and I know exactly how you feel - because I can see it in your eyes every time you look at me," she honestly replied, running both hands up and down the curve of her wife's spine. "We've had a rough go of it lately - we both have said and done things that we shouldn't have - but in a weird way, I don't regret a minute of it. . .because I think we're closer - stronger - than ever before," she admitted, her voice wavering at the thought of their recent hardships actually drawing them closer. "Dr. Wyatt has me working on all of these coping techniques and strategies and whatever, and it's helping, but really - it's you. When I'm feeling that nothing in the world is going right, all I have to do is look at you, and I know that there is nothing stronger or more right than the two of us together. . ." she trailed off, swallowing the lump of emotion that had formed in her throat as she struggled to fend off her tears.

Smiling brightly, Arizona leaned in for a kiss so passionate and so full of love, that they both were shaken to their very core. "Come on," she replied once she pulled away, standing next to the sofa. "I'm taking you to bed."

Callie reached out to take her wife's outstretched hand, smiling as she stood. "I thought it wasn't _just about the sex_," she coyly replied, wrapping her arms tightly around her wife's waist as she pecked a kiss against the tip of her nose.

Arizona's dimples popped. "It's not," she adamantly stated, grinning from ear to ear. "BUT. . .it _is_ a _little bit _about the sex," she continued as she pulled Callie toward the stairs. "And if memory serves me, I owe you a quickie in the shower. . .and then I'm going to ravage your body for the rest of the night."

"Do I have a say in any of this?" Callie teased as they ascended the stairs.

When they reached the top of the steps, Arizona pressed her wife against their closed bedroom door. "Oh trust me, Calliope. You're going to be saying a lot," she husked against her moist lips, her right thigh firmly pressing against Callie's quickly heating center. "Actually, _screaming_ a lot is more like it."

"Well, since you put it that way," Callie said as she nipped at her wife's earlobe, her hips subtly rocking against the leg wedged between her own. "I'm all yours."

* * *

**AN2: **As always, thanks so much to everyone for reading and reviewing/commenting. I look forward to reading each and every one of your comments. Have a good week!


	12. Chapter 12

**Title:** Ready to Love Again

**Author:** HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Collaborator:** Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona

**Rating: **M/NC-17

**Summary:** After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer:** All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **Thanks so much to everyone for continuing to read and review/comment on this story. I'm glad you all enjoyed the first chapter after their return from Spain!

**AN2: **This chapter is for Funkyshaz57 who wrote a great deal of it, and who is the best writing partner any person could ever have.

**AN3: **When thinking about this chapter, I had a lot of ideas for it and to be honest, recent events of the current storyline for Callie and Arizona really played into the writing of it. This chapter really took on a life all of its own, but I am pleased with what my writing partner and I were able to do.

* * *

Sitting next to Arizona on the leather couch in Dr. Wyatt's office, Callie's knee bounced restlessly as she anxiously chewed her thumbnail.

"Callie," Arizona gently admonished, reaching out to place a gentle hand atop her wife's turbulent knee. "Please calm down, babe," she softly requested as she scooted closer to her on the sofa.

Callie glanced toward her wife with fearful eyes, her knee only slowing slightly. Deeply breathing in through her nose, she slowly exhaled via pursed lips. "I. . .sorry. . .I'm sorry," she apologized, her knee's fretful pace instantly picking back up.

Arizona leaned in, wrapping her arm around the Latina's waist. "Why are you so worried?" she asked, laying a gentle kiss against a smooth caramel cheek. "I thought you _wanted_ to do this."

Callie's body relaxed slightly at her wife's comforting touch. "I do. . .I mean I did. . .I-I'm just nervous," she stammered, her rapid heartbeat evident by the pulse at the side of her neck.

Arizona smiled, turning slightly toward the fearful Latina. Sitting up on her knee, she took her wife's hands into her own, ducking her head to force Callie's eyes to meet her own. "First of all, you just need to clear your mind, Calliope," Arizona softly insisted. "You've been doing this on your own for almost a month now, and you're doing great. My being here doesn't change that," she continued, relieved when Callie's rigid posture slowly began to slacken. "We're both here to work on our marriage - not to point fingers. We've done _that _already, and we know it doesn't work. . .so now, we're just going to go with the flow and be honest - with the doctor and with each other. Okay?"

Callie smiled slightly, though the apprehension was still evident in her soulful brown eyes. Swallowing hard, she leaned forward to place a chaste kiss against the blonde's pink lips. "Okay," she finally conceded as she nuzzled her nose against her wife's. "I love you, Arizona," she softly stated. "Thanks for doing this for me."

Arizona leaned back far enough to meet Callie's gaze. "_We_ are doing this for _both_ of us, babe," she replied, once again placing her lips against the full ones in front of her.

"Well, I don't often get to see that at the first appointment," Dr. Wyatt stated as she stepped through the door of her office.

Callie and Arizona pulled out of the other's embrace, both smiling shyly as they settled themselves on the sofa in a more appropriate position. Taking the seat across from the couple, Dr. Wyatt clicked her pen, crossing one leg over the other as she wrote something on the notepad in her lap. Looking up, she smiled slightly before jumping right in. "So, Dr. Robbins. . ."

"Arizona is fine," she interrupted with a polite smile.

Returning the infectious smile, Dr. Wyatt continued. "Okay, Arizona. Callie and I have spoken at length over the past few weeks, but now it's your turn," she stated. "Why don't you tell me how the two of you met."

Arizona leaned back into the sofa, her dimples popping. "We met in a bar," she bluntly replied, a chuckle falling from her smirking pink lips. "But, I had been watching her and talking to people about her here at work prior to that night," she decided to clarify. "Everyone seemed to love her - everyone still loves her," she added brightly. "The talk was good and from everything that I was hearing, I just knew that she was someone I needed to meet - someone I was sure I would regret not having the chance to know."

Callie blushed slightly, lost among her own memories as she listened to Arizona tell the tale of how she followed her into the dirty bar bathroom that night so many years ago.

"She was upset - everyone here at the hospital was concerned about her - so I told her that when she was over being upset that there would be people lining up for her," Arizona paused, closing her eyes as she pictured what happened next. "And then I kissed her," she admitted with a laugh. "Best first kiss of my entire life."

Callie smiled brightly as she listened to Arizona finish the story of how they met. The way her wife's eyes sparkled and her smile beamed each and every time the blonde turned to regard her during her narration made Callie's nervousness disappear - at least for the moment. She loved this beautifully animated woman - with all of her heart and soul - and the fact that she was here with her _trying _and _working_ so tirelessly to better their marriage and their life together meant more to Callie than anything else in the world.

"Well," Dr. Wyatt began with a slight smile toward the couple in front of her. "That's certainly an interesting story," she stated as she wrote something down on the paper in her lap.

Arizona and Callie both laughed lightly at the counselor's response. The way they met was certainly a bit unconventional, but it would forever be remembered. It wasn't the most romantic story - but it was _their_ story. It was a story that began the greatest love that either of them had even known.

Pleased with the way their appointment was playing out to this point, Arizona reached to her side, lacing Callie's fingers through her own in an attempt to ready herself for the next question. She was fully aware that not all of the questions were going to be as easy as the first, but she had promised herself and her wife that she - that _they_ - would be as honest as possible with their answers, even if some feathers ended up ruffled in the process.

Dr. Wyatt shifted in her seat, re-crossing her legs. "Can you tell me what attracted you to Callie?" she asked next. "Not just initially, but beyond that as well?"

"Well, that's easy," Arizona immediately responded without even a moment's hesitation, her smile growing even brighter. "What attracted me to Calliope at first is still the same as what I love about her to this very day," she continued, giving the hand gripping her own a gentle squeeze. "Initially - _honestly_ - I found her breathtakingly stunning. I had heard about her, as I mentioned earlier, and was lucky enough to see her around the hospital and working in the OR. She had a. . ._fire _about her that, well. . .really just_ intrigued _me. She was passionate - she _is _passionate about every single thing she does. I could tell from the first moment I laid eyes on her that. . ." Arizona trailed off, turning toward her wife, wanting her to see how she felt even though she was sure she already knew. ". . .that she had a bigger heart than anyone I had ever known or would likely ever meet - and, I was right. To this day, she has this amazingly huge heart with the most profound ability to love."

Callie sniffled as she looked into the teary eyes of her wife. Hearing Arizona say those things about her was one of the reasons why she so desperately loved this woman. Her loyalty, the dedication and passion with which she loved her was quite literally overwhelming at times. Not caring about their audience, she leaned her face closer to her wife, nuzzling her ear with her nose, whispering a hushed _I love you _before kissing her soundly on the lips.

Looking down at her clipboard, Dr. Wyatt gave the couple a few seconds of privacy. It was already clear to her before the blonde surgeon joined them for this session just how much they loved one another from everything that Callie had told her, but seeing it - witnessing it with her own eyes - was an entirely different story. There was no doubt in her mind that these women loved each other fiercely, and she just hoped that these joint appointments would only serve to strengthen that love.

Even the most stable couples had bad days. Even the best couples had things that could be worked on, and that was her goal - to find out their weaknesses individually and as a couple - and to assist them in achieving their goals so that they could enjoy a strong, loving, understanding, and respectful marriage for many years to come.

Pulling out of their kiss, the couple blushed. They hadn't exactly been overly affectionate, but their public displays of affection were generally held to a minimum, but at that time, after such beautifully honest words had been spoken, there was no way either of them could resist kissing the other. "Sorry," Callie finally spoke up. "We normally don't do that in front of others, but. . .well. . .you can see why I had to, _right_?" she joked, turning to face the doctor seated across from her.

Dr. Wyatt's lips curled into a slight smile as she tapped her pen against her clipboard. "No need to be sorry," she replied. Looking between the two women, she directed her next question once again to Arizona, knowing that after this, they would be treading into deeper waters. "So, Arizona, tell me why you wanted to marry Callie."

Arizona's joyful face fell as she immediately froze in place, her posture going rigid, and her heart rate increasing exponentially.

To many people that was probably an easy question. One that should be answered with declarations of love and devotion, the inability to spend even a day apart from the other, and with promises of a lifetime spent together loving each other. On the surface, this may have appeared to be a simple question with just as simple of an answer, but to Arizona, it held a lot more weight than that.

Arizona shifted uncomfortably next to her wife on the leather sofa of the counselor's office. The question made her think back to a time in her life when - if she as completely honest with herself and the others in the room - she was very unhappy; a time when she was unsure if she and Callie would survive as a couple. This topic was something that, while she would never take it back, she wished she could change.

Callie watched sidelong as Arizona processed the doctor's question. She expected her wife to answer straight away, but her pause and the uncomfortableness evident on Arizona's face completely unnerved her. "Arizona?"

Taking in the usually talkative woman's silence and the uneasy look on her face, Dr. Wyatt sensed that his question had for some reason thrown off the blonde, catching her off guard. There was something there - something underlying that made the Pediatric Surgeon feel uncomfortable. This was what she was here for, though - to do more than just scratch the surface - to dig deeper into feelings that were buried and to unearth any issues that were perhaps unresolved in order for the couple to face them together. "There's no wrong answer here, Arizona," she offered. "We are all here to help make your marriage stronger," she encouraged, hoping that would help the woman open up.

Arizona turned to look into Callie's apprehensive eyes, her head then quickly swiveling to face the doctor who sat patiently watching her from across the room. Suddenly feeling claustrophobic, she took a deep breath, squeezing Callie's hand in an offer of support, but truly needing some herself.

She knew Calliope Torres inside and out, and she knew how she would feel if she spoke openly - if she answered this question with complete honesty. But, she had learned lately that being anything other than completely and totally honest about her thoughts and feeling would only cause heartache. "I'm sorry," Arizona finally spoke. "I. . .I'm. . .I love Calliope with all of my heart, and I would love to be able to answer that question with some clichéd answer of because _I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her _or because _I couldn't stand to be with her one more day and not be her wife, _but _unfortunately_. . .that isn't why I wanted to marry her. . .I mean it _is_. . .but, it's not why I asked her, I should say," she nervously finished, refusing to look in Callie's direction for fear of what she knew she would see.

"Go on," Dr. Wyatt coaxed.

Arizona cleared her throat, still fighting mightily against turning her eyes toward her wife. "I-I asked Callie to marry me because. . .I was scared," she began with a shake of her head, mentally berating herself for how horrible she knew that sounded. "But, not only was I scared, I was jealous. . .and feeling insecure. I mean, I knew I loved her. I knew I wanted Callie in my life for as long as she would have me, but I was terrified. Terrified that I was. . ._losing_ her," she continued, her voice lowering to barely above a whisper. "So, I did the only thing I could think of that would show her that I was there. The one thing I thought would make her notice me. I proposed."

Once the words escaped Arizona's lips, the tension in the room became palpable. Feeling Callie's grip on her hand slacken, Arizona was afraid to look at her wife for fear of what she would find, but she couldn't stop herself from doing so. Turning her head to finally look at the woman seated next to her, the sight was just as she had guessed it would be - a look of utter devastation that was like a knife through her heart. "Callie. . .I. . ." she began, but stopped, unsure of what she should say.

Callie shook her head, trying to fend off the tears she felt stinging her eyes. She had no idea that was why Arizona proposed to her. She had always assumed that Arizona proposed because she _wanted_ to marry her, not because she thought she had to.

How could she have been so blind? How had she spent the almost nine years of their marriage not knowing this?

Dr. Wyatt saw the emotion evident in every feature of both women seated before her. She didn't like seeing anyone hurt, but this was the first step in healing - the first step toward making progress. Nothing was easy, especially life, and no one got the _good_ without first accepting and dealing with the _bad_.

"Callie, do you have something you'd like to say?" Dr. Wyatt asked. "You seem upset by Arizona's answer."

Callie swallowed the mammoth lump that had taken up residence in her throat. "Yeah. . .umm no. . ." she trailed off, shaking her head, completely thrown off balance by her wife's response. "I-I didn't know. I just thought she asked me because she loved me. I had no idea you felt so. . ._forced,_" Callie spat directly at her wife, her words coming out more hurt and angry than she had intended.

Arizona flinched at the words, feeling her wife's hand completely disconnect from her own. They were less than fifteen minutes into this hour long session, and they were both already hurt, uncomfortable, and a little angry.

Why hadn't she just lied? Why on Earth had she not just said something cheesy and romantic? Why had she not said something lovely that she knew would please both her wife and the counselor? Why? Because she shouldn't have to feel bad about expressing her feelings, neither of them should - especially not here.

She couldn't lie. Could she? She knew that answer - of course she couldn't. Callie deserved the truth, and they both deserved to be able to speak freely without repercussions and accusations. "If you had taken any notice of me at all back then, Callie, you would know exactly why I felt so forced!" Arizona snapped back, unable to control the animosity in her response. She knew that getting angry wasn't the answer, but she also wasn't willing to let Callie - get all _Callie-like_ - hot-headed or sulking bitterly.

This time in their lives that they were now speaking of was the hardest Arizona had ever experienced, with the exception of losing her leg. She and Callie had broken up, she had gone to Africa, but then returned to a have a door slammed in her face. Then to top it all off, she found out that the love of her life was pregnant.

That year had been so hard emotionally for Arizona, and many times she wanted to give up, but her love for Callie helped her to push through and carry on. She remembered nights where she would cry herself to sleep or pray to a God that she never really believed in to make Callie realize that she was all in - to make Callie realize that she wasn't _just_ her lesbian lover, but someone who loved her with all of her heart. All she really wanted back then was to be seen, because the amount of jealousy and insecurity she felt was so unlike her. It was something she had never experienced before in her life and something she wished to never _ever_ feel again.

Leaning away from her wife, Callie wrung her hands together as she studied the woman seated next to her, wondering how the Hell they had gotten to where they currently were with such a simple question. She opened, then closed her mouth several times to speak, but no words came out - she had absolutely no idea what to say.

Callie felt like she had been slapped directly across the face. This time in their lives that they were now speaking of was the emotionally hardest she had ever experienced, with the exception of the plane crash and her wife's subsequent amputation, and when she and Dr. Wyatt had discussed bringing Arizona into her sessions, she had no idea they would be going _here._ That they would be talking about _this_.

Why were they even talking about this?

Damn Dr. Wyatt. They hadn't discussed this in her previous sessions. This time in their lives had long passed. They were here together for this appointment to discuss the now - the present and the future - not to dive back into past hurts and start throwing accusations around again. She didn't come here to dredge up things that she had buried so deeply so long ago. This was a time in her life - _their life_ - which she wanted to forget, even if in the end, she was lucky enough to come out of it with a beautiful daughter and a wonderful wife.

This was a time in her life that Callie was most ashamed of, and she was more than happy to keep it hidden - swept under the rug and forgotten about - because dealing with it meant that they would be forced to talk about it, which meant that she would have to admit to things that still haunted her to this very day. Talking about this would only force her to admit to things that she had spent so long purposely trying not to even think about.

Dr. Wyatt waited patiently as both women clearly tried to metabolize the sting of the other's words. She didn't want to jump in just yet - she wanted to see how her clients dealt with this new information.

Arizona closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She didn't want to fight with Callie. They were here to make things better, not worse. "I-I'm sorry. . .that came out wrong," she softly stated with a shake of her head. "I didn't mean it like that, Calliope. Don't be mad. Please forgive me," she replied, turning back toward her wife.

Callie too shook her head. "No," she whispered. She wasn't going to let Arizona do this - she always did this, and it was time for it to stop. That was part of the reason why there were here in the first place.

Arizona felt tears spring to her eyes as she watched Callie dejectedly shake her head. It seemed that she had just made things worse - epically worse. Eyes downcast, she turned away from her wife, not knowing what to say. She wished the damn doctor sitting across from them would say something. Wasn't that what they were paying her like two hundred bucks an hour for?

Dr. Wyatt only watched the two conflicted figures across the room from her. It appeared that the blonde surgeon was shutting down and that her brunette partner was too angry and upset at this point to do anything at all. Opening her mouth to intervene, she paused, deciding to sit back for a few more moments to watch the scene unfold before her.

Arizona was no longer able to fend off her tears as they now dripped down her cheeks. She now wished she hadn't agreed to come to this appointment. This wasn't what she signed up for - she hadn't come here to bring up past hurts and insecurities - that wasn't what she had intended to do in any way, shape, or form. Unfortunately, though, here they sat - both with tears in their eyes - both hurt and completely hating this situation.

The past was the past. She should have just left it there to die. Yes, when she thought about that time in their life, it still hurt sometimes, but they had moved on - they had moved passed that - or at least locked it away and thrown away the key in an attempt to pretend that it had never happened.

Arizona jumped slightly when she felt soft fingers at the sides of her face, sobbing quietly as she those fingers gently forced her to turn her head. Nervously doing so, she was afraid of what she would find.

"I'm sorry," Callie voiced in a hushed whisper, her moist brown eyes gazing into her soul.

What?

Callie was sorry?

For what?

Arizona looked at her wife and saw the deepest remorse upon her face. There was sadness there too, but also a sense of sheer determination. "I. . .no. . .you-you don't have to be sorry," she stammered. "You haven't done anything wrong," she continued. She hadn't set out to do this, and she didn't want to make Callie feel guilty because she couldn't control her emotions or get over a situation that had happened so many years ago.

"Arizona. . .I. . .God. I'm so stupid. We both are _so stupid_!" Callie exclaimed clearly frustrated and annoyed.

Arizona's blue eyes went wide. She certainly want's expecting this reaction from her wife, and at this point, she honestly felt a little lost.

Deciding to finally speak up, Dr. Wyatt clicked her pen, setting it on the clipboard in her lap as she faced both women in an attempt to get their attention. "It seems that we have stumbled upon some past issues that apparently haven't been dealt with," she said. "I'm sure I don't need to say this, but I will. You cannot move forward if you have unresolved issues from your past - no matter how much you both would like to keep them locked away in order to avoid situations such as this," she insisted. "I'm aware that we are here to discuss the present, but the key to making things better now and for the future is to deal with the past. I can't help you move forward if there's something holding you back - no matter how insignificant it may seem now and no matter how long ago it actually happened."

Arizona was completely at a loss for words, terrified that if they were really going to go _there,_ that it would only make their road that much harder. Was it seriously necessary to dredge up issues that happened so long ago? Wasn't it best left alone? Wasn't it better if they ignored it?

"You're right, Dr. Wyatt," Callie adamantly stated, nodding her head in affirmation. "We can't move on unless we deal with our issues from the past, and we clearly have them. As much as I'd like to skip past all of this, it's clear from today that while we may have put that time behind us, we never actually _dealt_ with it," she continued. "I haven't been coming here to learn how to run from my problems or my marriage. I'm here to learn how to move forward, and if that means opening up old wounds, then I'm willing to do that. Of course, that is if. . ." Callie paused, turning toward Arizona and taking in the wide eyed apprehension on her face. ". . .you are?" she carefully asked.

Arizona was completely and totally, one hundred percent _flabbergasted_. Were they really going to do this? Were they really going to talk about issues that they had left behind forever ago?

Callie really wanted to do this? Seriously? Who was this woman sitting next to her? What had this counselor done with her wife? Because she'd really like to have her back.

"Arizona? Sweetie?" Callie urged as she studied her wife was still sitting deathly still.

Swallowing hard and forcing herself to try to relax, Arizona smiled uneasily, once again reaching across the sofa to grip her wife's hand within her own. "Of course I am, Calliope," she choked out. "I told you that I'm willing to do everything in my power to make sure this marriage is a success, and I meant it," she resolutely stated once she found her voice, firmly nodding of her head.

Callie tentatively smiled back, gently squeezing her wife's pale hand. She was scared - she wasn't afraid to admit it. She wasn't sure whether opening Pandora's Box was a good idea or not, but she knew there was no turning back now.

"Ok, good," Dr. Wyatt stated with a nod and a slight smile. "I'm glad you're both willing to open up and deal with some things that might be painful. Just remember, while this might hurt now, it will only serve to make your marriage stronger in the future," she continued, once again clicking her pen and jotting something on her notepad. "Now. . .because I'm a little lost, here, I'm going to need you both to help me out. Arizona, I asked you what it was that made you want to propose to Callie, and we seem to have struck something there. Can you explain a little more in depth your feelings surrounding that, please?"

Taking a deep breath, Arizona apprehensively regarded her wife. "It's okay," Callie urged, noting her unease. "I know I might hear some things that I don't want to. . .but, I think it's high time I did. Don't you?" she asked.

Arizona smiled awkwardly. She wasn't used to talking about her feelings - in fact, she hated it. It was something she had discovered over time, and she was working on it, she really was, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She much preferred living inside her pretty pink bubble, though she was vastly aware of how quickly and of how easily it could be popped. Their life of late was certainly proof of that. "To be honest, if we're going to talk about _this_. . .I think Callie should speak first," she nervously insisted. "This really starts with how _she_ feels. . .or _felt_."

Arizona's heart was pounding in her chest - in her neck and in her ears - and her head was beginning to ache. It had been so long since they'd talked about this, so long since these events had happened, so long since she'd thought about a time in her life when she wasn't with Callie.

Callie regarded her wife in confusion. "What are you talking about, babe?"

Not being able to look Callie in the eye, Arizona spoke to the floor instead. "The reasons I felt the way I did - especially about proposing - they. . .umm. . .came about because of the way you treated _me_, but I'm not stupid, Callie. I know you had your reasons for treating me the way you did, even if you weren't willing to admit them at the time."

Callie tried to catch her wife's eyes, but she was adamantly looking anywhere but in her direction. Silence overtook the small office once again as Dr. Wyatt observed both women who seemed to be lost in their own thoughts, both clearly afraid to take the step they so desperately needed to.

"Callie? Arizona?" Dr. Wyatt softly called. "It sounds like there's something specific you're both referring to. Can either of you please tell me what that is?"

Both women looked up slowly, their eyes finally meeting. Fear, trepidation, nervousness, and hurt staring back at them. "Africa," they simultaneously stated, their voices strained and barely above a whisper.

"Africa?" Dr. Wyatt pressed, clearly confused.

Arizona cleared her throat, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She really didn't want to do this. "Umm, nine years ago, before Sofia was born, nearly two years after Callie and I had started dating, I. . .I won the Carter Madison Grant."

"Which meant she would have to move to Africa," Callie picked up where Arizona left off.

Arizona nodded her head. "It was my dream. To care for underprivileged children in a third world country. . .it was the ultimate dream. . ."

"A dream that meant she would be away for three years. . .away from _me_."

"We fought. She wasn't happy with me, or at least I felt like she wasn't. She never congratulated me."

Callie did roll her eyes. "I was terrified. You had made up your mind before you even talked to me about it. My whole life was here, Arizona," she countered, remembering that horrible time when she knew she was going to lose the love of her life.

"I know that," Arizona spat. "But this was _my_ dream. I didn't know. I couldn't have known when I applied for the grant. I was only a fellow, and I was single. I could never have known. . ." she trailed off, sadly looking up at Dr. Wyatt. She needed someone to understand - someone to justify why she had to go, but at the same time she needed not just Callie to know but the stranger sitting across from her, as well.

"You couldn't have known what, Arizona?" Dr. Wyatt gently asked. She could see the turmoil within the blonde's eyes and the hurt within the brunette's. She could hear the need to justify her decision, yet there was something else there too.

Maybe there was something that the smaller woman had never said, and maybe now was the right time to say it.

Looking up into chocolate brown eyes, Arizona tried to stave off the tears that welled in her own. "When I applied for the grant, there was no way I could have known that - by the time I heard back from them - that I had met the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with," she softly replied.

Tears now fell not only from blue eyes, but from brown as well. Callie knew she had acted like a brat back then, but she was too caught up in her own feelings to acknowledge the genius that was her girlfriend. She was too caught up in her life to bother entertaining the idea that this was a lifelong dream for her. "I should have been more supportive," she admitted. "I should have told you how immensely proud of you I was," she said, wiping her tears with the hand not firmly attached to Arizona's.

Sniffling quietly, Arizona shook her head, blonde curls bouncing around her ivory face. "That would have been nice, but I shouldn't have left. At least not the way I did, anyway. I-I hurt you. It was selfish. I was mean, and I was cold, and not a day has gone by that I haven't regretted walking away from you in that airport, Calliope. Not one day," she stated, not even bothering to wipe her own tears.

None of this had ever been talked about other than Arizona's speech to Callie that ended with Mark's front door being slammed in her face, her apology in the hospital that ended with Callie walking away from her, and Callie's rant about how selfish Arizona was. Unfortunately, these instances were the extent of the conversation on such a life changing subject.

For God's sake! How the Hell had they even made it this far. How had they survived nearly nine years of marriage without talking about this? It was no wonder they both still had issues and felt insecure with each other from time to time.

Arizona let out a deep breath. "But, you need to know, Callie. Even though I regret walking away that day, I wouldn't change it - because if I hadn't left, we wouldn't have our daughter right now, and she is _so_ worth every single tear I shed - every night I was terrified that I had lost you. Sofia's worth it all, and I would go back and do it all again if it meant having you both in my life."

Callie couldn't take it any longer. She knew she had her own apologies to make, but she couldn't just sit there and not gather the love of her life into her arms in order to console her. Reaching out, she wrapped up the smaller woman, pulling her into her strong embrace. "I love you," she whispered into her ear, fiercely clinging to the blonde as if she were her life raft upon a turbulent sea.

While they had peeled back a few layers, there were still so many more to go. Callie would have her say, but the pure love and devotion evident in Arizona's words - the fact that after all this time, she was actually able and willing to hear her and accept her apology - felt as if a dense weight had been lifted from the Latina's shoulders.

Callie wanted her wife to know that she now understood, but all those years ago, she just wasn't ready for her apology. When Arizona came back from Africa - all Callie knew was that she was still desperately in love with this woman who had broken her heart into a million billion tiny little pieces and left her standing all alone in the middle of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport - so she took her back. She allowed her back into her life. They built a life together, but they never talked about it because there was a pregnancy - an unexpected baby to focus on.

All of their fears, wounds, and insecurities were swept under the rug. They were stomped on and buried because they were both too afraid of what would happen if they actually talked about them. They knew what it was like to live without the other, and they never wanted to experience that again, so they forged ahead, reinflating their pretty pink bubble. Now, however, that bubble wasn't just slowly leaking air, but had exploded right before their very eyes. There would be no more hiding for each other, and to be honest, it felt incredible.

Witnessing the couple's embrace warmed the counselor's heart. She wasn't someone who got overly sentimental or attached to her clients, but it was easy to see just how much these two women loved each other. The fact that they were here together in the first place was testament to that, but the fact that they were both so willing to face past hurts in order to strengthen themselves and their marriage spoke volumes. Dr. Wyatt found this couple more than a little intriguing. Any set of people that was still able to find comfort in and provide comfort to one other after opening such profound wounds that had long since scabbed over was unique - people like this were truly made for each other.

Not wanting them to lose their momentum. The doctor cleared her throat. "So, Arizona. You won the Carter Madison Grant. I assume you went to Africa, and Callie you stayed behind?"

Pulling back, but staying close, fully aware that she would need Arizona's support, Callie nodded her head. "I was going to go. I wanted to go. . ." she began, but stopped when Arizona interrupted her by clearing her throat.

"No you didn't," the blonde simply stated.

Callie opened her mouth to argue, but then closed it. "She's right. I didn't want to go," she hesitantly admitted. "I wanted to stay, and I wanted her to stay, too. I only agreed to go because I wanted to be with her, but my attitude was ruining it for her. We had a fight, and-and a. . .nasty break up in the middle of the airport," she explained. "And, that was it - that was the end of our relationship, or at least I thought it was. . ." she continued, pausing a little when she realized what she was now going to have to say.

Here they were - really getting to the crux of the matter. Callie sighed, fighting with the fact that she was going to have to take some responsibility for things she had long tried not to. "I was hurt. More devastated than at any other time in my life," she stated earnestly. "I c-can't even explain. I did something _stupid_ - something that I would never take back because of what it means to us now - but I need it to be known that I never planned it that way. It wasn't my dream, either," she replied, now completely avoiding Arizona's eye.

Callie had never told Arizona that bit of information because they were both too busy avoiding the real issues. She wouldn't trade Sofia for the world, but it was in no way how she had planned or envisioned her life with the blonde.

Arizona squeezed Callie's hand knowing exactly what she meant. She didn't need to hear her say it, but she was glad that she had.

"Can I assume you're referring to your pregnancy?" Dr. Wyatt asked, making a couple notes on the paper attached to the clipboard she was holding.

Callie nodded her head. "Yes. I. . .umm. . .I slept with Sofia's father while Arizona was away," she softly admitted. "I mean. . .I-I never thought I would see her again," she defensively added, her voice rising. She couldn't help but try to defend herself. They were broken up. She had no idea that Arizona would come back for her. That idea was unheard of in Callie Torres' life - when people left her, they never _ever_ came back.

Dr. Wyatt said nothing, but Callie felt Arizona stiffen at her side. Arizona had long ago accepted the fact that if Callie _hadn't_ been so foolish, they wouldn't have the wonderful little girl that was now their entire world, but the thought of Callie - _her Calliope_ - in bed with anyone other than her totally sucked, and was something she never enjoyed thinking about. She had long moved past that - she had accepted Mark and forgiven Callie - because in the end, it meant that she got a perfect family out of the deal, even if it wasn't how she would have chosen to go about it. "So, I came back to find her pregnant and totally hating me," Arizona continued, knowing Callie needed a moment to compose herself and trying mightily to shake the thought of Mark intimately touching her wife from her head. "Well, at least I thought she hated me. . ."

"I was devastated, Arizona. I didn't hate you."

Arizona shook her head. "I was hurt even though I didn't have the right to be. . .because I-I always thought that Callie would be the last person I ever. . .made love to, and me. . .her," she admitted, a slight blush rising on her cheeks. "Even though I left - even though I went to Africa - she was always on my mind. I cried every day and every night. From the very moment I walked away, I wanted to come back, but I was just too much of a. . .coward to admit it," Arizona paused, gathering her thoughts. "She denied me at first, but I persisted. I told her that I was all in, and I was. I loved her. That was all that really mattered to me, and I just knew that I could easily love anything that was a part of her, too," she smiled, remembering a day long ago.

"And I was right. The moment I heard Sofia's heartbeat, I-I knew that I had made the right decision, but I-I. . .shit. . .umm. . ." Arizona's voice faltered. What she was about to say next closely paralleled what had gotten them into this whole rehashing of old wounds. Conceding to the fact that she was wrong for leaving and that she was scared and cowardly and wrong at times was nothing like admitting what she was about to.

Callie glanced at the counselor, wondering if she would speak before looking back toward Arizona. "It's okay. . .really. Just say it," she softly urged as she carefully studied her wife. She knew that this was it. What had earlier seemed like a simple question - well, right here - what Arizona was about to say was the reason for the not so simple answer.

Realizing it was now or never, Arizona drew in a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Her heart pounded, and she felt more than a little queasy. "I knew I had made the right decision. I wasn't going anywhere. I was all in, but I was afraid. I was afraid. . .that Callie wasn't," she nervously admitted. "I was terrified that she didn't _really_ want to be with me. I-I felt like I was just a-a mere distraction for her. At the time, I felt that if I had asked her to pick; had I made her choose between _me_ and Sofia's father, then I would have lost her. So. . .I proposed."

The air in Callie's lungs expelled in a whoosh. Quickly standing from her seat on the sofa, she suddenly felt sick to her stomach as she replayed Arizona's words over and over in her head. "I. . .I. . ." was all she managed to stammer as she began to pace at the side of the leather couch her wife was still seated upon.

What could she even say to that? Was there any possible way to respond? How could she have been so blind? How could she not have known that her wife of almost nine years felt this way?

Dr. Wyatt once again allowed the couple time to process this information on their own. She wasn't there to tell them how they should or should not feel, but only to guide and support them if they should need it. She knew they were on the brink of something here, so she waited patiently. Their time for this session was almost up, but she really wanted them to be able to face this first hurdle before they left.

Arizona could sense her wife's struggle as she watched her pace at the side of the couch. She knew that what she had just admitted was going to be a blow to Callie's gentle heart way before the words had fallen from her lips. It killed her to hurt Callie, no matter how inadvertent or accidental it was. All of that had happened so long ago - and to this day, while they had had their fair share of arguments and disagreements - Callie had never once made her feel so desperate or unwanted again. For the most part, her wife had done nothing but love her, support her, and look after her for the past almost nine years of their marriage, so to turn around now and essentially tell her that once upon a time, she didn't feel loved, supported, or cherished, seemed ridiculous. It was quite possibly one of the emotionally hardest things she had ever been forced to do.

"Callie. . .I'm _so_ sorry," Arizona apologized.

Callie shook her head, rubbing both temples with her fingertips as her pacing slowed. Arizona shouldn't be the one apologizing, it was her turn. Her wife had already admitted to her part in all of this and had apologized not only here today, but so many years ago. She had kept the promise Callie remembered her making - she had spent the rest of her life telling her that she loved her.

The Latina was at a complete loss for words. One of the hardest things in life was admitting one's faults. No one liked to admit that they weren't perfect. No one liked to hear about their own misgivings or weaknesses, and Callie especially didn't like hearing that she had taken part in hurting the one person she had promised to never hurt.

"No," Callie finally replied, slowly moving around the sofa to return to her seat. "Don't apologize. I-I'm the one who should be saying sorry. I didn't know. I never knew. I. . .God. . .it's no excuse. . ." she stated as she turned to take both of her wife's hands into her own. Desperately needing Arizona to hear this, she stared directly into her wife's eyes, her gaze unwavering. "It's no excuse, but I was so terrified that you were going to leave - that you were going to realize that committing yourself to me, and a baby, and Mark wasn't what you really wanted - and that you were going to hop on the next flight back to Africa. I-I hoped and prayed that I was wrong and that you would stay, but I. . .I was never completely sure," she said in a rush, clinging to her wife's hands. "So-so I kept you are arm's length. I needed to protect myself - to protect my heart - because I wouldn't have survived losing you again, Arizona," she softly admitted. Shaking her head, she studied the apprehension still present in her wife's cerulean eyes. "Please. . .please, Arizona. You have to understand that I didn't know you felt that way. I know I was distant. I know I was selfish at times, but I never ever knew that you thought I would choose Mark over you. The fact that you think - that you _thought_ that would even cross my mind makes me feel like. . .God, Arizona. I feel like a monster!"

There was no stopping the tears as they fell from either woman's eyes. Arizona shook her head, silently refuting her wife's words as Callie shook her own, silently chastising herself for her ignorance towards Arizona's feelings.

"I'm so sorry I ever made you feel that way, and I'm even sorrier that we didn't talk about this before now. Holy shit, Arizona!" Callie exclaimed, causing the blonde to jump in front of her. "We've been married for almost nine years, and you've felt like this the entire time? I-I loved you back then, and I was terrified that you were going to run. I-I was so stupid. I refused to see what was right there - right there in front of my own face."

"What was right in front of your own face, Callie?" Dr. Wyatt popped up.

Both women jerked around, having long forgotten that they weren't alone. It was so easy for them to become so thoroughly wrapped up in each other, the fact that they had an audience had completely slipped their minds. A soft smile curled at the corners of Callie's lips. "That she came back for _me_," she stated, the sudden realization visibly lifting every downtrodden feature in her body. "But, even when she was back, all I could think about was that she had left, because no one has ever come back for me. No one. My first husband, other lovers, my sister, my own _mother_. . .but Arizona was different. She came back, and she _stayed_."

Dr. Wyatt couldn't help the smile that lit her face. This was something that she and Callie had been discussing during the brunette's own private sessions, and she was pleased that her client seemed to have finally come to some sort of realization on her own. The fact was, Callie's wife loved her. She loved her enough to come back for her - to commit to her - through thick and thin, in good times and in bad, until death do they part, and this accomplishment and discernment was more than evident on her client's shocked face.

Clicking her pen, the counselor uncrossed her legs, setting her clipboard onto the small table separating her from the couple. "Well, I have to say that today certainly did _not_ go as I had expected," she stated, unable to hide the gratification she felt in knowing that this session had been a success for the couple in front of her. "I know that today was difficult, and I know that our discussion brought up some things that you both have had buried for a very long time, but you did well. Both of you. You were sincere and honest, and I couldn't have asked for a more productive hour."

Callie and Arizona only nodded, both too emotionally exhausted from the past hour of conversation and a little too in shock by the revelations of the day to do more than that.

"Before you go, though, I have some homework for you for our next session. Arizona, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to join Callie next week, as well."

Arizona shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind of the haze of memories and discoveries that now clouded her every synapse. "Umm. . .yeah. . .I. . .yes, of course," she stammered. "Of course I'll come next week."

A knowing smile formed on the counselor's lips. "For next week, I would like you both to make a list. I want you to imagine what your relationship would be like if the miracle of complete understanding suddenly happened within your marriage. I want you to list how you would know if the problems which brought you to my office had been solved, or if your goals had been reached? Does that make sense?"

Callie nodded again. "Yes, that's fine. We-we can do that," she replied, looking toward her wife for reassurance.

"Good then," Dr. Wyatt stated. "That's all for today. I'll see you both next week."

* * *

Three hours later, Callie lay on her side next to Sofia on the double bed in the little girl's pink and brown bedroom. "Ok, last one," Callie said, reading from the paper in her hands. "Spell fabulous."

Sofia bit her bottom lip, scrunching her face as she went over the spelling in her head, the sight causing Callie to chuckle at just how similar to Arizona their daughter really was. Sighing, Sofia dramatically blew out a breath. "Ok. . .umm. . .f-a-b," she paused, allowing herself time to think. "F-a-b-u-l-o-u-s. . .fabulous."

Callie smiled, leaning in to peck her daughter on the cheek. "You got it, big girl," she stated proudly. "You are _so_ going to kick that spelling test's butt tomorrow," she teased.

Sofia laughed, bringing her hand to cover her mouth as she tried to stifle a yawn. "Go to sleep, you _fabulous _little thing," Callie insisted as she smoothed thick dark hair back from the little girl's face. "You've had a busy week."

Leaning forward, Sofia wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, squeezing her tightly - a feeling Callie knew she would never _ever_ tire of. "I love you, mommy," she replied.

Callie held her close, kissing her forehead before rolling from the bed. "Goodnight, Sofia. I love you, too," she said as she flicked off the bedside lamp before exiting the room.

Walking down the hall and toward the stairs, Callie descended the steps, entering the kitchen that was now lit only by the light over the sink. Stepping through the darkened house, her eyes never left the figure that had been quietly seated outside on their deck for the past hour.

Today had been one Hell of a day - that was for sure. Neither she, nor Arizona could have imagined when they awoke that morning that they would be so vividly transported to their past. Neither realized that when they decided to attend marriage counseling together that a seemingly simple question would cause their session to take on a life of its own with so many old wounds being reopened, but at the same time, neither of them realized that there was still so many past hurts and issues that could still be plaguing their marriage to this very day.

Stepping up to the French Doors leading onto the deck, Callie paused. She was completely unsure of what to say, but she knew she had to say something. Leaving their appointment earlier that day, the air between them had been full of nervous, cautious energy - their ride home together eased only by the non-stop chatter of their daughter about her day at school and what she had learned at her acting lesson. The evening quickly disappeared in a whirlwind of making dinner while Sofia worked on her homework, cleaning up the kitchen while laundry was put away, with Arizona kissing Sofia goodnight before disappearing onto the deck as Callie lay in bed with the child reviewing her spelling words for her test the following day.

Quietly opening the door, she watched as the back of the blonde head in front of her flinched slightly at the disturbance. Hesitantly moving around the double chaise lounge that her wife was cuddled up on under a thick blanket, Callie took the seat beside her, the distance between them gaping. Folding her hands in her lap, the brunette sighed as she leaned back onto the lounge, looking out across their darkened lawn.

Arizona didn't move, continuing instead to stare out ahead of her into the night.

Several silent moments passed before Callie decided to clear her throat. "Arizona, I know I said this earlier, but I really need you to know how sorry I really am," she softly began, turning her head to glance at the side of her wife's perfect ivory cheek. "I-I had no idea you felt that way, and I want you to know that there never - there was never a choice. It was always _you, _Arizona. It will always _be_ _you_. There's no way I could ever walk away from you."

Arizona sighed, slowly turning her head to meet her wife's teary, apprehensive gaze. Smiling softly, she leaned forward, capturing Callie's lips in a gentle, but life affirming kiss that both felt deep into the very pit of their souls. "I love you, Calliope," she whispered against her wife's moist lips once their kiss came to its gradual end. "I'm never going to leave your side, _ever_ again."

Callie couldn't help the relieved smile that lit her face as she wrapped herself up in this woman who had for so long been her entire world. They had only just begun to heal - today was evidence of that, but they were both there - they were both present, and they were both trying. That, in and of itself, was more than enough. How could either of them ask for any more than that?

Gathering Arizona into her lap, Callie held her tightly, little else needing to be said other than, "I love you, too."

* * *

**AN4: **If these two aren't going to have actual conversations on the show, we are going to do it here. So, we might as well just start from the beginning. We can live through fanfiction and allow it to fill in the gaps. So, what do you think? Let me hear it!


	13. Chapter 13

**Title:** Ready to Love Again

**Author: **HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Collaborator: **Funkyshaz57

**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona

**Rating:** M/NC-17

**Summary: **After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer: **All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **I am so excited that the previous chapter was so well received. Thank you all for continuing to read and for leaving such lovely comments/reviews. I sincerely enjoy reading each and every one of them!

**AN2: **A big thank you to Funkyshaz57 for working so hard along with me in completing this week's update. It is the longest chapter to day. Enjoy!

* * *

"Thanks again for watching the kids," Meredith Grey stated from where she was wrangling her kids out the front door of the Robbins-Torres home.

"It was no problem," Callie called as the Grey-Shepherd clan headed off the porch and down the driveway toward their SUV. "We had a great time."

Waving as Meredith did the same, Callie closed the door behind herself and Sofia to fend off the chill of the early February air that blew in through the opened door. "Whew, Sof," she said, wrapping her arms around her own body as she began to shiver. "It's cold out there today. What do you say we start a fire in the fireplace, and then make momma some breakfast?"

Sofia looked around the room, so caught up in playing with her friends that she just realized that her other mother wasn't present in the downstairs of their home on this lazy Sunday morning as she normally would be. "Where _is_ momma?" she asked as she settled herself onto the couch in the living room, her _Nintendo DSi _firmly grasped between two hands.

Callie fiddled at the hearth to light the gas fireplace before turning back toward her daughter. Taking the seat next to her on the sofa, she intently watched the game in the little girl's hands. "Momma got called into the hospital and didn't get back home until really late," she replied. The truth was that Arizona didn't get home until after 3:00am - so it was either _really_ late or _really_ early - whichever way she chose to look at it. "We'll let her sleep for a little while longer while we make breakfast. What do you think?"

"Sounds good," Sofia happily replied. "Can we make some. . ." the little girl trailed off in deep thought, her eyes looking toward the ceiling. "Magdalenas, scrambled eggs, and bacon?"

Callie smiled at her daughter's thoughtfulness as she swiped the video game from her hands. "Mo-om!" Sofia whined as Callie took off from the couch, rushing into the kitchen with a laugh. "I was in the middle of a game."

"Come help me with breakfast," Callie called, her thumbs now deftly working their way across the controls to continue the game of _Brain Age_ the younger Latina had begun. "You can play later."

* * *

Gently sliding under the covers of their king size bed next to the peacefully sleeping blonde, Callie gently kissed along her jawline, smiling to herself when she felt her wife begin to awake from her slumber. "Wake up, pretty lady," Callie whispered, nuzzling her nose against the hollow beneath the blonde's earlobe.

"Mmm," Arizona hummed, fighting mightily to remain in the land of nod. "Too sleepy, don't wanna get up," she mumbled, scooting backward to cuddle into the warm spoon of her wife's body. "What time is it?"

Callie wrapped her left arm over around her lover's waist, intertwining their legs as she chuckled softly at her adorable antics. "It's after eleven, babe," she replied against silky blonde hair. "And, someone cooked for you this morning and is waiting patiently outside the door to bring you breakfast in bed."

Arizona smiled as she rolled over, snuggling further into her wife's embrace. "Promise me there's no egg shells in it like the last time _someone_ made me breakfast in bed," she said conspiratorially.

Callie softly laughed before leaning forward to capture moist pink lips. "I promise," she replied. "I took care of the eggs this time."

Pecking Callie's lips one last time, Arizona finally opened her eyes as she scooted herself up to sit against the headboard. "Morning," she said with a smile.

"Good morning," Callie replied, leaning over to kiss her temple. "Come on in Sofia," she then called. "Momma's awake now."

The bedroom door slowly opened to reveal the almost nine-year-old girl carrying in an elegantly arranged tray of food with beautiful paper flowers sticking out of a small vase situated next to a steaming cup of _Cafe au lait_. Sensing their daughter's difficulty in carrying the burden of the tray, Callie jumped up from the bed before it ended up in a mess on the bedroom floor. "Here, let me help," she said, taking the tray from Sofia. Now freed, the girl jumped onto the bed to snuggle next to her mom.

"Good morning, little miss," Arizona happily said, wrapping one arm around her daughter and pulling her close. Kissing the tip of a tan nose, the blonde smiled as Callie set the tray over her thighs. "What do we have here?" she asked.

Sofia cheerfully began to point out the different items on the plate. "I helped mommy mix the magdalenas, and then we put them in the oven. Mommy cracked the eggs, but let me scramble them. Then I made you these paper flowers while everything was cooking."

Callie couldn't help but chuckle softly at her daughter's rambled response, loving just how much _Arizona-esque_ the little girl could be.

"Thank you, ladies. It looks _amazing_," Arizona replied, reaching out for the caffeinated beverage first.

Sofia reached for the fork that was wrapped up in a napkin. "Oh, here," she said as she poked into the scrambled eggs before guiding it toward her mother's mouth. "Try the eggs, momma. We made them cheese infused just the way you like them."

* * *

"I don't think so, little lady," Arizona teased Sofia, bumping the girl with her hip as she stepped up to the television, swinging her arm backward to release the bowling ball on the screen. "You and your mom talk a good game, but I'm a _Wii_ bowler from way back. There's no way either of you are going to beat _me_," she continued, smiling smugly when all ten bowling pins hit the ground, cheering herself on right along with her _Mii_ on the flat screen TV.

Callie laughed from her seat on the sofa, her attention mostly on the handheld gaming device in her grasp, having commandeered it from her daughter hours before. "Are you going to let your mother talk that _smack_ to you, Sofia?" she jokingly asked, pausing her game to give her girls her undivided attention.

Sofia looked slightly conflicted, knowing that both of her moms were just teasing and that she would most likely be able to get away with a little _trash talk_ of her own, but also remembering that they had taught her to be respectful of other athletes during her participation in several sporting events. Looking between her mothers for their response, Callie's raised eyebrow egged her on. "I'm _so_ gonna kick your butt, momma," she stated, crumbling into a fit of giggles when Arizona grabbed her, tickling her relentlessly as Callie jumped up from the couch to join in.

"Oh, yeah?" the blonde teased. "You're gonna kick _my_ butt?" she scoffed, continuing her assault against the ticklish skin along her daughter's ribs. "How do you think you're going to do that when you can't stop laughing?"

"Stop, momma! Please! Mommy!" Sofia squealed, laughing uncontrollably as Arizona lowered her to the ground. "Help me, mommy! Please!"

Callie seemed to ponder her next move before quickly switching her tickle attack from the exuberant brunette child to the lively blonde. Grabbing Arizona by the waist, Callie pulled her off of Sofia, setting to work at tickling her wife under her arms. "Not fair!" Arizona breathlessly yelled as her wife pinned her against the shining hardwood floors. "You two are a tag team. Not fair!"

Sofia jumped up from the floor, grabbing her game controller on the way up. "You started it, momma!" she happily shouted, the intoxicating sound of the young girl's giggles filling the room.

"Hurry, Sofia!" Callie cheerfully insisted as Arizona fought against her. "She's vicious. I'm not going to be able to hold her off for long!" she continued just as Arizona rolled them over, now pinning the Latina with her own body.

"Yeah, hot shot," Arizona called, looking over her shoulder to where the little girl was about to throw the virtual bowling ball. "Let's see what you've got!"

* * *

Descending the stairs after tucking Sofia into bed later that night, Callie entered the living room to find Arizona curled up on the couch in front of the fire, pensively chewing on her bottom lip as she jotted some things down on the legal pad resting on her lap. Sitting down next to her wife, Callie looked down at the familiar scrawl written across the page. "What's this?" she asked as she rested her head on Arizona's shoulder.

Arizona immediately flipped over the notepad, shaking a finger in the Latina's direction. "Hey! No peeking, Calliope!" she chastised with a grin, leaning away from her wife. "It's the homework Dr. Wyatt gave us. No cheating. Do your own!"

Callie stuck out her bottom lip in a mock pout. "Teacher's pet," she teased. "Of course you're getting yours done days ahead of time."

Arizona lowered her glasses on the bridge of her nose, looking at her wife from above the lenses. "Of course I'm getting it done early," she replied, a jovial lilt to her voice. "That's because I'm _awesome_. Obviously."

Callie rolled her eyes. "_Obviously_," she mocked, quickly snatching the notepad from her unsuspecting wife's lap before swiftly moving from the couch. "Okay, let's see what we have here. . ." she began, her eyes scanning the page.

"Give it back, Calliope," Arizona demanded, reaching out to grab the yellow legal pad from her wife's grasp. "If we're going to do this counseling thing, we're going to do it right," she chastised as she ripped the page from the front of the notepad, folding it twice before stuffing it down the neck of her loose t-shirt and into the cup of her bra.

"Oh, right," Callie smirked, moving back to the sofa to straddle the blonde's lap. "Like I won't reach down in _there_ to get it," she teased, suggestively wagging her eyebrows.

Arizona couldn't help but laugh at the cheesiness that often was Calliope Torres. Leaning forward she quickly pecked her wife's lips before removing the glasses from her nose and setting them to the side, her mood quickly sobering. "I'm serious, Callie," she began.

Callie tipped her head to the side, studying the woman in front of her before leaning over to nip at her earlobe. "I know you are, babe," she husked into her ear, her actions proving that perhaps she wasn't quite as aware as Arizona had hoped she would be.

"Callie!" Arizona tried to reprimand as she continued her attempt at seducing her. Her neck was being treated to some tantalizing sensations, and when she felt nimble fingers creep toward her cleavage, Arizona knew she had to put a stop to this delicious torture now or else once she felt Callie's hands on her breasts, she would be a goner. "I-I really. . .I want to talk. . .to you," she stammered, not that sex was completely off the table, but she was unfortunately feeling very Type A at the moment and once she started something, she had to finish it. Right now, the only thing that was on her mind - other than her wife's full moist lips and wandering hands - was the homework Dr. Wyatt had given them. Grasping those roaming caramel hands with her own, Arizona firmly pushed them away from her body.

Callie leaned back, searching her wife's eyes. "Okay, okay. Sorry!" she huffed, finally dismounting her.

Arizona rolled her eyes at the pouting forty-year-old woman now sitting to her right. Pouty Callie was cute and adorable, but she also knew that she could easily turn from pouting to pissed in a matter of point two seconds. Closing the slight distance between them, she leaned in, grasping Callie by the back of the head and forcing her face toward her own. Eyeing her wife for a mere second, the blonde smiled lovingly before fiercely capturing her lips. Forcing her tongue into Callie's eager mouth, Arizona kissed her with a passion that never failed to make either of them weak in the knees and wet in some much more pleasurable areas.

When she felt Callie move in for more, Arizona quickly pulled away, a mischievous smile lighting her ivory face. "Later. I promise," she breathlessly whispered.

Although Callie wanted to say screw later and throw Arizona down onto the couch and just have her way with her, she decided it best to concede to her wife's wishes - at least for now. "This is really important to you, isn't it?" she asked, referring back to the abandoned subject of the homework Dr. Wyatt had assigned.

"You're the one who wanted to attend counseling in the first place, Calliope!" Arizona exclaimed. "Of course it's important to me. Isn't it important to you?" she questioned, her voice rising and sounding more chastising than she had intended.

Callie's eyes widened at Arizona's tone. "Woah, wow! Calm down, Arizona," she countered. "You know this is just as important to me as it is to you," she said, slightly offended that her wife would think she wasn't taking this seriously.

Arizona sighed, quickly deflating as she witnessed the look of hurt that flashed across the brunette's face and eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap," she apologized.

Sighing heavily, Callie pulled her wife into her lap. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she leaned her head against her shoulder. "Talk to me, sweetie," the Latina softly requested. "Is there something you're not telling me? Because it feels like I'm missing something, here."

Kissing the top of her wife's head, Arizona closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of her Vanilla-Tangerine shampoo. "No, you're not missing anything. Not really. . ." she mused. "I just. . .I don't know. I just don't want to be blindsided at this week's appointment like I was last time," she hesitantly admitted. "It was your idea to go to counseling, and I was. . .I _am_ quite happy to support you, but last week when we were there, we clearly stumbled upon some issues that we left behind almost ten years ago. I mean, how did we survive ten years, Calliope? How have we survived all this time without discussing things as important as those? How did we make it this long ignoring how we both felt?" she incredulously rambled. "I just. . .this is important to me, too. In the beginning, I didn't think it would be. I thought it was more. . ._your_ _thing_, but last week made me realize that it's _our_ _thing_. Does that make sense?"

Placing a kiss on a t-shirt clad shoulder and tightening her hold around her wife's body, Callie softly spoke. "It does," she replied. "And, I know how prepared you like to be. You thought we were going into that session to discuss our issues of late, but to have Africa and well - _you know_ - brought up. . ." Callie trailed off, shaking her head. "I understand how that unnerved you. It threw me for a loop, too, babe."

Callie was more than aware that going into that particular counseling session, Arizona was as mentally prepared as possible, but unfortunately, something completely unexpected was thrown into the works, unsettling both of them. Forewarned meant forearmed in Arizona's book, a rule the blonde had no doubt learned from her father, but unfortunately - if their previous appointment was any indicator of what was to come - they might be safer to walk blindly through a minefield.

"I don't like the unexpected, Callie. You know that," Arizona softly stated. "I think we went in there last week expecting it to be easy, but clearly it wasn't. Doing this homework ahead of time gives us a chance to be ready should the _wors_t happen. This way we'll be prepared."

Callie paused the soothing caress of her hands up and down the length of Arizona's spine. Even though she felt that her wife was being overly dramatic, the blonde's words for some reason echoed through her head like a foghorn in the distance. Suddenly feeling slightly uneasy, the Latina's form stiffened as her mind flashed back to a time when very similar words had been spoken.

Arizona instantly noticed the change in her wife's body, the way she went slightly rigid around her. "Everything alright?" she warily questioned.

"Um. . .yeah. Of course it is," came Callie's automatic response, though she mentally berated herself for not being completely honest.

"You sure?" Arizona suspiciously asked, her sixth sense telling her that something had just changed, though she hadn't the slightest idea what it was.

Callie looked toward her wife, smiling slightly. "Yeah. . .positive," she vaguely answered.

An overwhelming feeling of guilt suddenly cascaded over her as memories of another time when she knew she had failed her wife filled her mind. Not prepared to bring up such a heavy subject after such a wonderfully lazy day spent at home with her girls, she shook herself from her reverie. "Listen," she tentatively began. "I know you don't like being unprepared. I know the other day was uncomfortable, but don't you think it was beneficial, too?"

Turning on Callie's lap to fully face her, Arizona earnestly nodded her head. "Yes, Calliope, I do," she replied. "I was definitely shocked, and yes. . .it brought up some things I wish we didn't have to face, but that right there was part of the problem. We never faced it - any of it. We might have been years late in dealing with it, but I'm certainly glad we finally did," she mused. "I just. . .I want to be ready. I want to do this right and if that means working on what Dr. Wyatt gave us, then that's what I'm going to do. Because the other day taught me that there could be anything lurking beneath the surface, and I want to do my best to make sure that we're both ready for whatever those things may be."

* * *

"Okay, I should be out of surgery by 2:30," Callie stated across the table in the cafeteria where her wife sat crunching loudly into a baby carrot. "I'll pick Sofia up from school after that and take her to basketball practice."

Arizona sipped from the straw in her to-go cup. "I may be finished by then, too. I have to meet with Karev and our interns at 1:30, but that shouldn't last more than an hour," she replied. "We may actually get to spend the evening together - even if we will be surrounded by a rowdy clan of under ten-year-olds."

Callie forked a bite of mixed vegetables on her plate before bringing it to her mouth. "Sounds. . ._romantic_," she sarcastically stated with only a slightly rueful smile, waving the fork around before stuffing it into her mouth.

Arizona pensively watched her wife as she continued to eat. There was just something lurking in Callie's usually expressive eyes - something that had been there since the night before. Something that Arizona could tell, after so many years together, was just. . ._off_. Taking one more sip from her own cup, she set it aside as she continued to study the contemplative form of the woman sitting across from her. "Hey," she called after a moment's hesitation. "You okay?"

Callie didn't immediately respond, seemingly lost in a haze of her own thoughts. It wasn't until the elevated sound of her wife's voice saying her name penetrated the fog of her mind, causing her to look toward her. "What? I'm sorry. What did you say?" she asked, visibly shaking herself and looking a bit sheepish for completely zoning out.

Arizona's brow furrowed as she considered her words. "What's going on with you today, Calliope?" she softly questioned. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine," Callie immediately replied, brushing off her wife's concern. "I was just thinking about. . .my surgery," she stated, though she knew that her wife could most likely tell that she was lying. "Speaking of," she continued, looking across the cafeteria toward a clock on the wall. "I-I should probably go."

Standing from her seat, Callie picked up the tray of half-eaten food before rounding the table, coming to a stop next to her wife. Arizona looked up as Callie leaned down next to her. "I'll page you when I'm out of surgery," the Latina said, kissing the top of her wife's head.

Before she could completely move away, Arizona grabbed her by the lapels of her lab coat, pulling her down so that her face was directly in front of her own. "Go be _awesome_," she insisted, though she wanted to say so much more. "You're _amazing_, Callie. . .and I love you."

Callie couldn't help the megawatt smile that consumed her face. "I love you, too," she replied before quickly pecking her wife's lips and walking away.

* * *

Hours later, Arizona moved around the kitchen cleaning up from their evening meal as Callie entered the room after tucking their daughter into bed.

"All I'm saying is that I don't see any problem with the way we were taught to add," Arizona offhandedly stated as she closed the dishwasher door, pressing the start button to begin the cleaning cycle before turning her attention toward wiping off the countertop.

"Arizona," Callie tried to interrupt when she stepped up behind her, this topic having been discussed relentlessly by her wife throughout the evening.

"It just seems so silly and _so_ much more difficult to add from left to right. We learned to add from right to left, and we came out okay. We had four years of college _and_ _then_ four more years of med school. I mean, we're renowned surgeons, Calliope. I just don't see any reason to change things up now. . .and to go to the school to take classes on how to teach Sofia to add!? You have got to be kidding me! I mean, seriously?" she incredulously asked as she flicked off the light in the kitchen.

"Arizona!"

"We have nearly forty years of education between us. I think that makes us more than qualified to handle teaching our daughter third grade math."

"Arizona!" Callie's voice finally penetrated the blonde's rambled speech.

"What?" she asked.

"Come with me," Callie sheepishly replied, extending her hand in the direction of her wife. "I have something for you."

Arizona tipped her head to the side, smiling brightly at the sight of her wife clad in a pair of black silk pajamas. "What is it?" she asked as she took Callie's hand.

Callie didn't say a word as she silently led her wife up the stairs and down the hall toward their bedroom. Motioning toward the closed door with a nod of her head, the Latina smiled as Arizona giggled softly before pushing it open.

Looking inside, Arizona spied candles lit around the darkened room, a tray of what appeared to be flavored massage oils resting atop the plush duvet. Quickly turning toward Callie who stood behind her with her hands grasping her arms, the blonde's mouth fell open. "What's all this?" she asked in surprise.

Callie chuckled softly at the shock on her adorable wife's face. "It's Monday," she replied as if the answer was completely obvious. "Arizona's thirty minute massage day. Clothing optional," she continued, a seductive smile curling at the edges of her lips as she wagged her eyebrows up and down.

As Arizona stepped further into the room, Callie shut the door, locking it behind them. "What about Sofia?" the blonde questioned as she turned back toward her wife.

Callie reached out to fiddle with the hem of her wife's t-shirt. "Like we've _never_ had sex with her in the house," she scoffed as she quickly pulled Arizona's shirt up and over her head. "We just have to be quiet. You know that."

Arizona's eyes followed her wife as she moved to kneel down in front of her. "I owe you a ton of these Monday night massages, so I decided since we have time tonight. . .we're going to make the most of it," she insisted, pulling her wife's yoga pants down her legs before guiding her to sit at the edge of the bed. Flicking the front clasp of the blonde's bra, Callie removed it from her shoulders before setting to work at removing her prosthesis. "Is that okay with you?" she coyly asked.

Arizona only smiled as she tucked stray hair behind Callie's ear. Moving to lie face down on the bed, she rested her head on her crossed arms as Callie straddled her prone form from behind. Pouring a handful of massage oil into her palm, the Latina's strong hands immediately moved to soothe the tense muscles of her wife's neck and shoulders.

The blonde immediately began to relax at the exhilarating sensations of Callie's hands firmly caressing her body. Closing her eyes, she released a contented sigh from her throat. "You're so tense, baby," Callie commented as she expertly worked out a knot at a particular spot near her wife's right shoulder blade.

"Four hour surgery this morning," Arizona commented, humming her approval of her wife's touch. God she was good at this.

After paying a considerable amount of attention to ivory shoulders, Callie laid a trail of kisses along Arizona's spine, soothing reddened areas with deliberate swipes of her tongue. "Mmm, vanilla," she husked into her wife's ear, causing the blonde to shiver with delight.

Continuing downward, Callie worked at Arizona's lower back for just a moment before painstakingly sliding purple silk panties down her legs, deft hands then firmly massaging rounded cheeks of a perfect bottom. Once enough attention had been paid to her wife's luscious ass, the Latina slid warm oily hands between silky thighs, the tip of one finger briefly brushing against a distended clit.

Arizona tensed slightly, a gasp emanating from her lips as Callie quickly withdrew her hand. "Sensitive?" the Latina asked, a sly smile on her face.

"You're such a tease," Arizona countered. "You need to stay on task, woman!" she jokingly insisted, wiggling her bottom beneath her wife's caramel hands.

Callie chuckled softly at the cuteness of her wife. Proceeding downward, her hands landed at the base of Arizona's residual limb, brown eyes searching her wife's profile for any type of ill reaction. Caressing the firm muscles that still resided there, Callie couldn't help the sigh that left her chest, causing Arizona's eyes to quickly snap open. "You okay back there?" she asked, her piercing blue eyes looking off to the side of the room.

Callie shook herself, clearing her brain of the memories that loomed at the back of her mind. "Yeah," she softly stated. "I-I'm great. You?"

Arizona closed her eyes, relaxing again, too caught up in the intoxicating sensation of her wife's hands on her body to challenge her words. "God. . ." she moaned. "That feels amazing, Calliope."

Swallowing hard, Callie switched legs, moving her hands to the bend of Arizona's right knee before continuing southward to massage her ankle and foot, caressing its sole and between each toe. "You can roll over now," she stated as she stood from the bed.

Doing as she was told, Arizona turned over. Now face up, her nipples hardened to turgid buds when they met the air. Raising herself up onto her elbows, the blonde sensually eyed her wife who was staring directly into her soul. "You have on way too many clothes," she commented, scooting herself forward to the edge of the bed. Reaching out to Callie, pale hands immediately made quick work of the buttons of her wife's pajama top, blue eyes watching as it slipped from her shoulders to land in a silky ebony pool on the floor. Hooking her thumbs in the elastic of her pajama pants, Arizona pushed them, along with her panties, down her legs to land in a heap next to the previously discarded shirt.

Stepping from the garments resting around her ankles, Callie smiled as she reached out for the bottle of massage oil. "Scoot back," she urged, crawling up the bed to straddle her wife's front now resting in the center of the bed. After pouring more sweetly scented oil into her hands, Callie's lusty brown eyes raked up and down Arizona's form, her tongue peeking out to lick dry lips. "You are so, so beautiful, Arizona," she said in a hushed whisper as her hands began massaging full breasts, softly at first, but then with more insistent pressure.

Arizona's breathing grew heavier as her nipples grew harder. Closing her eyes, she pressed her chest up into her wife's hands, nimble fingers now focusing on pebbled nipples. Callie leaned down, her warm tongue circling the swollen areola of her lover's right breast as her hand slid down her taut stomach to cup the mound between her legs. Oily fingers soon found a heated clit, gently stroking it before slipping quickly into a wet and welcoming entrance.

The blonde arched beneath her, surprised by the swiftness of her penetrating touch. "Mmm, Callie," she groaned, her hips beginning to move against the fingers buried deep inside her.

Arizona's internal muscles tightened around her wife's long fingers as she slowly pushed in and out of her, Callie's mouth moving from one nipple to the other to lick, nibble, and suck. Slipping her fingers from within Arizona's tight opening, the Latina sat up with her knees on either side of her body before bringing those fingers to her mouth to lick the mixture of vanilla massage oil and the blonde's essence from them. Closing her eyes, Callie savored the delicious flavor as a moan of approval fell from her full lips.

Pale ivory hands that had been fisting at the blanket beneath her, reached up to massage Callie's magnificent breasts as the Latina stared down at her. "I'm so in love with you, Arizona," Callie softly stated when she removed her fingers from her mouth. "You are the other half that makes me whole. You complete me."

Arizona gazed up into her wife's clearly aroused eyes, unsure of where those words had come from, but loving the sentiment nonetheless. Gliding her hand between their bodies, the blonde pushed two fingers into Callie's throbbing center, causing her to gasp at the sensation of being filled so deliciously.

Leaning down, Callie captured pink lips with her own as she slid her fingers back into the confines of her wife's dripping center. Arizona's eyes fell shut at the incredible sensations her wife was creating deep inside her as their legs intertwined. "Keep your eyes open, Arizona," Callie softly insisted. "I need to see you. I-I want to watch you."

The blonde's mouth fell agape before her eyes sluggishly opened, clear blue eyes meeting soulful brown ones as Callie's fingers curled, skillfully stroking the sensitive spot deep within her. "Yes, Callie," Arizona husked, burying her face in her wife's neck. "More. God. . .more."

Callie gasped when Arizona's thumb brushed against her hardened bundle of nerves before applying firm steady circles over it. One body thrust erotically as the other writhed uncontrollably, both women's legs beginning to tremble as fingers plunged faster and harder, their individual climaxes rising to the point of explosion.

"Arizona! Oh, God. . .I'm. . ." the Latina bit into her wife's shoulder to stifle the scream she knew she was about to release. "Mmmm," she groaned against her wife's neck, her body convulsing in an eruption of unadulterated pleasure before tensing rigidly, one hand gripping the duvet as the fingers of her other hand continued to slide in and out of her wife. Feeling long slender fingers once again curl inside her, Arizona's center began to pulse as her body arched in wild abandon before her throbbing core took hold, tugging at her wife's fingers as a seemingly endless orgasm consumed every fiber of her being.

"Oh God," they simultaneously ground out, trying desperately to keep quiet for fear of waking their sleeping child, their bodies limply settling into the bed, Callie's weight resting atop her wife. Realizing that she may be crushing the body beneath her, Callie rolled onto her side, wrapping an arm and a leg over her wife's naked form.

Lying face to face, with their noses touching, both women desperately tried to calm their ragged breathing. Several long minutes later, Callie leaned in to gently run her tongue over her wife's bottom lip, savoring the taste of her kiss. Feeling a smile form beneath her tongue, the Latina quickly pecked Arizona's lips before immediately blazing a trail of hot kisses down her neck and over her abdomen.

"Where are you going?" Arizona asked as she tangled her hands into the thick hair at the back of Callie's head.

"Where do you think I'm going?" Callie mused as her moist tongue darted out to lick at the residual massage oil at the apex of her wife's thighs.

"Oh!" Arizona replied, her body jumping slightly as Callie's tongue dipped between her folds. "I'm starting to get the idea."

* * *

Three days later, Arizona impatiently sat on the leather sofa in Dr. Wyatt's office, separated from the counselor by a small coffee table situated between them. "I'm sorry. Callie said she'd be here," she said, looking down toward her watch for the tenth time in as many minutes.

Dr. Wyatt smiled, nodding slightly. "Well, since it seems that she's going to be a little late, let's go ahead and get started without her. She can just jump in when she gets here."

Arizona sighed. This wasn't what she was here for. She was here to discuss her marriage, not participate in her own individual counseling. The mere thought of doing this on her own made her even more nervous than she had been prior to this session that she _thought_ Callie would be joining her for. "Umm. . .I. . ." she paused, searching the counselor's face for the judgment she was sure she would be passing on her at any moment. "Sure," she reluctantly conceded, desperately trying not to curse her wife under her breath. "We can begin."

Dr. Wyatt looked down at the clipboard resting in her lap before clicking her pen. "So, after last week's session I gave both of you some homework. I asked how the two of you would know that the problems which brought you to my office had been resolved or how you would know that your goals of therapy had been reached. Were you able to come up with any responses?"

Arizona smiled, pleased that she had come up with some answers that she thought were not only pretty damn spectacular, but truthful to her marriage. "Yes, I came up with a few ideas that I really think are "must haves" for my relationship with Callie," she replied.

"Go ahead whenever you're ready. I'm listening," Dr. Wyatt offered.

Arizona perked up, her posture straightening. "Ok, well first of all, I think - and I'm speaking for myself only - that if everything were resolved, we would be able to talk calmly and respectfully with each other, really taking the time to listen to what the other has to say."

Dr. Wyatt watched the woman seated across from her, pleased with her answer. "That sounds like a very reasonable. . ."

"Oh crap! Sorry, sorry, sorry," Callie loudly exclaimed as she came rushing through the office door, scrub cap still in place atop her head, blue surgical gown flapping loosely behind her. "I'm sorry," she repeated, practically throwing herself down onto the couch next to her wife. "Stupid knee replacement ran long. What did I miss?"

Arizona's eyebrows raised, her eyes going wide at the nature of her wife's interruption. She really loved her, but _WOW_ could she be brazen at times.

"Thank you for joining us," Dr. Wyatt stated, slight displeasure at her tardiness evident on her face. "Arizona and I were just discussing the homework I gave you after last week's session. She has already given me one of her responses, but I'm interested in hearing what you came up with, as well."

Callie pursed her lips, her eyes darting suspiciously from side to side. "Umm, well. . .I. . ." she stammered, nervously scratching her head through the material of her scrub cap. "Well, you see. . .I think. . .it's just that. . .the thing is. . ."

"You didn't do it, did you?" Arizona incredulously asked. "Do you even remember what the questions were?" she spat, her tone more bitter than even she expected it to be.

"Don't yell at me, Arizona!" Callie hissed. "I started to write some things down, but I was having trouble, so I was going to come back to it later, but we've been busy this week," she contended, knowing full well that her argument was ill-conceived and wouldn't come close to holding even a drop of water.

Arizona eyed her, the annoyance evident in here every feature. "You know how I felt about this, Callie," she stated. "You knew I wanted to be prepared for today."

Dr. Wyatt watched the women across from her participate in a stare down of wills, piercing blue eyes boring a hole into the soulful brown ones of her wife. "Okay, ladies," she warned. "There's no need to get upset over this. You both just seem to have. . ._different_ ways of preparing for our sessions together. It's just human nature."

"It's _something_," Arizona huffed under her breath, the comment not going unnoticed by the woman seated next to her who dramatically rolled her eyes.

"I gave you the assignment because goals and objectives are established by the way you were raised. Just like with Sofia in school, you know that progress is carefully tracked and parent/teacher conferences give a subjective scorecard. As adults, though - what can we do to keep our relationships progressing from one grade to the next?" she asked, trying to momentarily divert the argument she knew was brewing. "Do we have guidelines to help us develop and grow as a couple? Without a syllabus. . .or _outline_ to follow, it's easy to get off track."

The room was deathly silent, both women stewing, caught in the snares of their own thoughts - Arizona, angry because she felt Callie hadn't taken this seriously, especially since she was the one who had suggested marriage counseling in the first place and Callie, upset that Arizona wasn't being more sensitive and understanding. It wasn't that she deliberately failed to do the homework, she had tried, but then got really busy - of all people, her wife should have been able to understand that.

Dr. Wyatt carefully watched the couple, not wanting to say more just yet. She wanted to give them the opportunity to work this out on their own. After all, they were here to learn to communicate better - to acknowledge the other's feelings - and to learn how to deal with conflict in a healthy, mature, and productive manner.

Arizona stared at the counselor, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, refusing to bend. She was mad - more than mad - she was straight up pissed off. She knew that she should be more lenient and give Callie some wiggle room because it really had turned into a Hell week at work, but she was just as busy and had somehow found the time to do what the counselor had asked. She did so because she cared - because this was important to her. How could Callie be so nonchalant about it? Why didn't she care just as much?

After nearly ten minutes of dead locked silence, Arizona realized that Callie was in no way going to budge. Her wife was the most stubborn - most headstrong - person she had even known. She knew that it would have to be her to open up the lines of communication or they would spend the next forty minutes of their appointment in complete and total silence, ultimately walking out of this session way worse than they had walked in.

Sighing, Arizona finally turned her gaze toward her wife. "What's wrong with you?" she questioned, her tone still annoyed. "And please, Calliope. . .do _NOT_ tell me nothing or-or say that you're fine."

Okay. . .that wasn't exactly how she wanted to start, but the words just slipped from her mouth.

Callie's mouth fell agape as she quizzically looked at her wife, trying to figure out what exactly she meant. Nothing was wrong. Well, not really - other than the fact that she had a wife who clearly did _NOT_ understand how busy she had been. "I would think the answer to that is obvious, Arizona!" she snapped.

Rolling her eyes, the blonde couldn't keep herself from retorting in equal measure. "I'm not talking about the fact that you didn't do the homework assignment, Callie. I'm talking about your _mood_ for the past few days. Ever since we spoke about this the other night you've been. . ._different_."

Callie's eyes widened, her face then scrunching in disbelief and condescension. "Different? How exactly have I been different?" she scoffed, her heart beginning to thump in double time. She knew exactly what her wife was referring to, but she wasn't sure she was ready to go there. Complete denial seemed to be the best tactic at this point in time - her mood too volatile to open up that can of worms for fear of things turning lethal.

"Can you just for five minutes stop being so defensive and tell me what the Hell is wrong with you?" Arizona demanded.

While tempers flared, Dr. Wyatt's head swiveled from one woman to the other as if she were a spectator at a Ping-Pong match. She rationalized that both women were still too upset and annoyed to have any form of a rational conversation, so they were tumbling face first into a heated argument instead. Realizing her cue to step in before matters escalated to explosive proportions, she asked, "Arizona, could you explain what you're referring to? Have things at home not been so great this week?"

Arizona once again folded her arms over her chest, closing herself off. For the love of God, why were they doing this? "Things at home have been fine!" she huffed. "Well, mostly. . .until a few days ago when Callie and I discussed this upcoming session. Since then, I've felt that something has been bothering her," she admitted, glancing sidelong in the direction of the stubborn woman seated to her left. "She's been _distant_, and. . ._introverted_, I guess. No one else would probably notice, but I notice everything about Calliope," she replied, her tone softening. "I know there's something she isn't telling me."

"I have _no_ idea what you're talking about," Callie argued, sternly looking toward her wife. "I've been _distant_? _Introverted_? Seriously, Arizona? Because you didn't seem to think so the other night when I was _screwing your brains out_!" she viciously spat, throwing her hands up in the air.

"_CALLIE_!" Arizona shouted across the sofa, horrified by the shameless indecency of her wife's juvenile outburst.

Callie's face instantly fell.

Okay, maybe that was a little much, but she couldn't stop herself, and she certainly couldn't take it back now. Sitting deathly still, she turned her head to the side, refusing to meet the penetrating gazes of the surprised counselor or her now thoroughly pissed off and mortified wife.

Suddenly feeling claustrophobic with the urge to flee, Callie jumped up from the couch, fighting mightily with herself to _not_ run directly out of the room. Talking about Africa and its fallout was hard enough, but this - the way she was feeling right now - was something she knew would cause her to falter if they took the time to actually discuss it.

They had moved passed it. They had moved on. In all honesty, Callie never wanted to look back on that time, but unfortunately, the words her wife had uttered the other night had been replaying over and over again in her head, and she wasn't completely sure why they had affected her so much.

Okay. That was a lie. She did know why. The truth was, while things were getting better at _that_ time, those words were also accompanied by memories of a time when things _weren't_ so good - a time when she was truly terrified and lost.

"Do you _honestly_ not know what Arizona is talking about?" Dr. Wyatt's question cut through Callie's silent reverie. "Or is there something you would _really_ like to say other than _hiding_ and _displacing_ your thoughts and feelings like we have discussed you so often tend to do?"

Callie rolled her eyes at the doctor. Who the Hell did this headshrinker think she was, anyway?

Dr. Wyatt knowingly sighed. "You need to keep in mind that this is a safe place, Callie. We're not here to pick or assign blame, but to instead find a productive way to move forward. If something is wrong, you need to be able to talk to Arizona about it instead of _inappropriately_ projecting your feelings."

Callie couldn't decide where to look. She certainly couldn't look at Arizona, and she had just royally embarrassed herself in the presence of their marriage counselor, so choosing a spot just over Dr. Wyatt's shoulder, she sat against the arm of the couch, completely deflated. "You told me you wanted to be prepared. You-you said you wanted to be ready in case. . .the _worst_ happened," she quietly stated.

"What? What are you talking ab. . ." Arizona began, but then quickly stopped mid-sentence. The look on her face was absolutely horrified for a few seconds before she instantly composed herself, adopting the mask she had been able to perfect over so many years. "I was talking about our homework, Calliope. I didn't mean anything by it."

"I know _that_," Callie replied, though there was an obvious tremor in her voice.

"Then why have you been so distant? If you know _that_, then why can't you look at me?" Arizona hastily pressed.

Completely lost, but aware that something had obviously stirred up another buried issue from the couple's past, Dr. Wyatt was mere seconds away from jumping in, but before she could open her mouth, the brunette once again jumped to her feet.

"I feel guilty!" Callie exclaimed, still unwilling to look at her wife. "When you said _those_ words, all I could think about was. . ._then_. . .a-and it makes me feel guilty, Arizona. It makes me feel _sick_. . .it makes me remember a time that I was so scared that we wouldn't make it. I-I. . .I know it shouldn't. I know we are past that, and I know the other night you were just expressing how you felt. I know when you said _those_ words to me back then that we were better. . .we-we were nearly back to us, but hearing you say them again, it just reminded me of that time, and I don't. . .I can't. . ." she trailed off, a fount of tears springing forth from her eyes.

Before Arizona could even think long enough to form any type of response, Dr. Wyatt jumped in. "I'm sorry, but it seems I'm a little lost," she admitted. "We've clearly stumbled onto something that has deeply affected the both of you. I'm assuming something from the past, so could we backtrack a little so that I can gain a better understanding?" the counselor requested, absently jotting down notes on her clipboard.

In Arizona's opinion, _this _situation was worse that Africa. _Way _worse. This was a time in her life when she was completely unable to metabolize her feelings - her grief and her fear - a time when she was so lost in such an endless sea of absolute denial and depression that she had barely been able to process breathing, let alone anything else.

Let alone loving and being a wife.

Arizona visibly shook herself. "I-I. . .she's talking about when I. . .umm. . .she's talking about when I lost. . .when I had. . .my leg," she stuttered. "She's talking about the plane crash," she finally managed to get out.

Dr. Wyatt looked between the two women, the feelings of hurt and despair etched on their faces and evident in their dejected forms. "Okay. . .I'm sorry. I'm really trying my best to keep up here, but what exactly does the plane crash have to do with whatever was said to upset Callie?" she asked.

The counselor wasn't meaning to be difficult, but she needed one of these stubborn women to open up a bit more. Glancing between the two, it seemed as though it would have to be the blonde. The brunette was adamantly refusing to look at either of them, and it was more than clear from her closed off stance that she was not willing to say anything further at this time, her outburst concerning her feelings making it blatantly obvious that this was currently too much for her to handle. Needing to push this session forward, the counselor looked toward the blonde who, while she looked like she would much rather face the devil himself at Hell's Gates than the topic at hand, appeared much more willing to explain than the sulking brunette staring out at nothing at all.

Perfect timing, Calliope, Arizona thought to herself. What a lovely time to stop talking. _Now_ of all times. She had been so willing to rehash old crap at last week's session, but now. . ._nothing_.

Blowing out an exaggerated breath, the blonde shook her head. "The other night, Callie and I were talking about this upcoming appointment. I was upset because I thought she wasn't taking the homework you assigned very seriously," she began to explain. "We both agreed that we were blindsided by last week's session, so I told her that we needed to be ready for the worst. That we needed to be prepared."

Arizona trailed off. Was that really what had led them to _this_? Just because she had repeated words that she had uttered so many years before? Seriously, Calliope? That was years ago!

"I've said those _words_ to Callie before. Years and years and years ago. . .after I lost my leg. Our jobs were up in the air. We had a really tough. . .time after the crash, but at this point, our relationship was improving. It was nowhere near what it used to be, though. We just. . .we weren't _us_. Things weren't the same. So, I guess when I said that to her the other night, she was reminded of _that_ time in our lives," Arizona finished.

Dr. Wyatt nodded in partial understanding, quickly writing on the clipboard resting in her lap. As the counselor pondered her next move, Arizona attempted to calm herself while Callie continued to stand stalk still, firmly rooted in the same spot she had been since her exclamation of guilt.

Arizona had no idea how they were going to tackle this latest discovery, but it was crystal clear that this was just further evidence that their past issues had gone unsolved - that this was just another example of something that they both had swept under the rug, opting for the safer, more comfortable route. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes. She could not for the life of her fathom how they had managed to carve out the life they had together while continuously ignoring the bigger issues time and time again.

Desperately wanting to reach out to comfort her visibly distraught wife, Arizona opened her eyes to reflect upon the woman she loved, deciding against her compulsion to soothe for fear that she would be rejected. It was clear that Callie was upset, but Arizona had no idea where her mind was. Was she angry at her? Was she angry at herself. What exactly did she feel guilty about?

A few silent minutes passed as all three women in the room tried to digest this latest revelation. Once Dr. Wyatt was finished writing down what she needed to, she looked up from her clipboard to survey the couple before her. The distance between them - both physically and emotionally - was gaping. Clearing her throat, she knew that this was where she needed to intercede. She needed to show them that it was okay to be upset - that it was alright to be confused and unsure of how to move forward, but that they had to at least _try - _that the only way to remedy this problem was to dive right into the hurt and face it head on.

"Well, it seems that we have some talking to do here," Dr. Wyatt urged. "We have. . ." the counselor glanced down at her watch, "just under thirty minutes left, and I'd really like to hear from both of you. Callie - you're clearly upset, and that's perfectly acceptable, but what is _not_ acceptable is your refusal to talk, therefore denying Arizona a chance to understand why you are feeling the way you are," she further explained. "So, please, could you join us? Could you try to give us your perspective? You were very _honest_ before - you touched on feelings of guilt so strong that they made you feel physically ill. You mentioned being scared, and I would really like to hear more about that."

Arizona held her breath as she awaited Callie's reaction to Dr. Wyatt's words. In some ways, she and her wife were very similar - at least in the way they chose to deal with conflict. While Arizona was generally perceived as someone who was emotionally closed off, Callie definitely wore her heart on her sleeve, but when it came down to it - when it came to matters involving themselves - they both dealt with their problems the same. Well, actually, they didn't deal with them at all. They both just turned their backs on the issues at hand while hoping that they would all come out in the wash and that things would eventually turn out for the best.

Callie looked toward the ceiling as she considered her options. They were limited to say the least. She could completely refuse to talk, ultimately making everything ten times more difficult _or_ she could open up like Dr. Wyatt was encouraging her to do with the hope that Arizona would eventually be able to find it in her heart to forgive her.

Her feelings of guilt and helplessness during that time in their lives were something that, while she tried, she had never been able to rid from her mind. They had survived - barely, but her account - but still they had done so. They had moved on and created a life that she cherished more than anything in the world, however, just like with most major conflicts in her life, she had chosen to ignore her own involvement in it.

This was something she was very aware that she had done. She knew that to some, it made her appear self-centered and narrow-minded, but the truth was that she was scared, and her behavior was just simply the only way she knew how to survive. Owning up to such mistakes terrified Callie because deep down she knew that if she admitted to her faults, it would make it that much easier for people to walk away from her - that much easier for her to end up with a broken heart. So instead of facing things, she chose to ignore them - she chose to pretend that everything was fine - forever condemning herself to carry around the burden of often incapacitating feelings of inadequacy, fear, and guilt.

Deciding that she would be damned if she threw away all of the work she and Arizona had done to heal their marriage and realizing that their new policy of open and honest communication was the best course of action, she hesitantly sat back down on the leather sofa, though she continued to keep a safe distance away from her wife. She could feel the gaze of those clear blue eyes staring her down, and it took all of the conviction she held within herself to finally look upon the face that she normally could not tear her eyes away from.

As their gazes locked, Callie all of the sudden felt grounded - more than she had since their conversation nearly five days ago. It didn't matter that her heart was beating faster than it ever had or that the tears she was now shedding were making her vision blurry, because those eyes - the beautiful blue eyes of her wife - were now peering into her soul and anchoring her to the earth.

When Callie sat down and turned toward her, Arizona felt the breath catch in her throat as those brown eyes imploringly searched her own. In those expressive eyes, she saw everything her wife had been feeling for the past few days and _so_ much more. A simple look was all it took to be granted a view into her Callie's soul.

Managing only the slightest of smiles, Callie carefully extended a shaky hand in Arizona's direction, and the moment the blonde saw that caramel hand sliding toward her, she wasted no time, quickly reaching out to grasp it, sandwiching it between her own.

If they were going to do this, they were going to do it together.

Smiling back at Callie, Arizona nodded her head, signaling to her wife that she was ready to face this next hurdle.

Scooting slightly closer to the blonde, Callie cleared her throat. "I. . .I'm' not exactly sure where I should begin," she softly admitted, sluggishly dragging her gaze from the intoxicating sight of her wife back toward the doctor sitting across the room from them.

"Wherever you feel comfortable," Dr. Wyatt encouraged. "But, if I may suggest something, I would say you should start by explaining your feelings of guilt. I find that guilt is often one of the strongest emotions to deal with. It can consume you. It can control you, and if you are unable to set it free, it can turn into a burden that you will carry around with you for the rest of your life."

Callie nodded, knowing exactly the all-consuming feelings Dr. Wyatt was referring to. "We never talked about it. . .not really," Callie began. "As you've seen, we're pretty good at avoiding. . ." she stopped, taking a deep breath. She was scared to admit her feelings, but she knew that there was no way she could rewind time in order to retract her statements. "It was an. . awful time for both of us. I'm not sure of any time in our lives that could even come close to the way things were back then. Even Africa and Sofia's father. . .and being pregnant can't compare to this."

Yes, they had moved on. Yes, this had happened years ago, and they were happy - deliriously so for most of the time since - but every now and then the smallest of things could remind her of that time. It was very rare and only very occasionally, but every now and then, things like what Arizona had said the other night, the sight of her residual limb or even the sound of a plane flying overhead would remind her of how she had failed to save her leg. Her memories were mostly fleeting, but still - they were there.

Dr. Wyatt tapped her pen against her clipboard. "Can I jump in here and ask why? Why was this time so much different than what we discussed last week?" Dr. Wyatt asked. "It seemed that there was a lot of pain involved then - a lot of hurt and distrust - after Arizona's return from Africa, so what made the time after plane crash so much different?"

Callie glanced toward Arizona, nervous about what she was about to say. Why hadn't she just kept her mouth shut? Her feeling seemed so silly all these years later. Why couldn't she just get over it and move on?

Blowing out a breath through pursed lips, she looked back toward the counselor. "I can't speak for Arizona, but for me. . .I. . .during that time after she returned from Africa, I still knew that she loved me. I was hurt and angry, and I may have held her at arm's length, but deep down, I knew that she wasn't going anywhere," she admitted, pausing to gather her thoughts for her next statement. "But, after the plane crash - after Arizona lost her leg - I didn't know. I wasn't sure anymore. I thought maybe. . .I thought she didn't love me anymore. That was the difference. . ." she trailed off, her voice now nothing more than a timid whisper.

Arizona's heart instantly clenched upon hearing her wife's admission, and she had to fight with herself not to stand up and flee. Why was she still sitting here anyway? She should have run the moment Callie's rude comment about screwing her brains out had spewed forth from her mouth. Staring with horrified eyes at her wife's profile, she could in no way stop the tears that began to slip down her cheeks, Callie's words like daggers piercing her heart.

Callie was once again unable to drag her eyes away from the spot over the counselor's shoulder. She knew that she had just deeply wounded her wife, but she couldn't help how she felt. Other than that period of time - their darkest time ever - Arizona had never failed to show her how much she loved and cherished her, and Callie felt terrible for her own feelings and for not being able to work through them on her own without bringing them up here today. Arizona had admitted how awful she was years and years ago, but that didn't diminish just how unloved and terrified Callie had felt.

Looking between the women seated awkwardly on the leather sofa in front of her, Dr. Wyatt could tell that Callie's words had broken the smaller woman's heart, that much was obvious in her troubled blue eyes. "Arizona," she carefully began, hoping that these two would be able to stay calm long enough to talk this through. "Would you like to respond to what Callie just said?"

Feeling the undeniable need to distance herself from her wife, Arizona released her hand from between her own. Standing from her seat, she closed her eyes, nervously running her hand through her hair. "I. . .I loved her. _You_. . .I loved _you_," she corrected.

Arizona wanted to address her wife, but at this point in time, she was wholly unable to look in her direction. "I know I was horrible. I-I know it was, for a while, always about the leg, but I can't take it back now. I. . .it felt like she never got that. _You_ never got that. While I didn't want it to be about the leg all the time, it just _was_. I couldn't help it," she tearfully rambled.

Why oh why were they talking about this now? Arizona had struggled and fought for so long to come to terms with the physical and emotional setbacks caused by her amputation, and it was a period in her life that she would prefer to never look back on. Why did this have to be brought up so many years later? Arizona shook her head. She knew the answer to that - because Callie wore her heart on her sleeve and had such a difficult time seeing past all the times in the she had been previously hurt.

Arizona had no idea, though, that her wife still held so many deeply seated and lingering feelings concerning that time, but then again, she couldn't really be all _that_ surprised. They hadn't talked about it. Aside from that one tiny little conversation on a hotel bed after drinking champagne and eating macaroni and cheese cupcakes, they had just brushed it off and plowed through.

Dr. Wyatt turned her head, wondering what these women found so interesting to look at on the wall behind her. Looking back toward them, she sighed. She knew that Arizona had lost her leg in the plane crash, and she remembered the fallout from the accident that had claimed the lives of two of their own, but she hadn't until recently spoken at length with any of the survivors. That was a time that Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital would never forget, and she realized that people like Callie and Arizona would always have lingering thoughts and feelings over such a catastrophic event.

Leaning forward, resting her elbows on her knees, the counselor rationalized that last week's debacle had been relatively easy to tackle, but this was going to be their biggest hurdle. _This_ was going to be hard. "There are clearly some unresolved feelings and lingering hurts surrounding that time in your life," she stated. "And I'd really like to help you move forward, but I can't do that if you lock them up in hopes that they just magically go away," she offered.

Awkward silence once again filled the room, intermittent sniffles from either woman, the only sounds being emitted. "I've never been more terrified in my entire life," Arizona suddenly piped up, surprising both Callie and the marriage counselor. "I felt like a completely different person. I was. . .disgusted by the sight of myself. . ."

Callie slowly turned her gaze toward her wife, watching her with wide eyes. She knew that Arizona had been scared and lost and more than a little insecure, but she had never actually voiced those feelings to her. They had screamed and blamed and ignored plenty, but they never actually _talked_ about it. Arizona had admitted her insecurities about her inability to wear heels to Bailey's wedding, but other than that - _nothing_. The blonde had never admitted how she felt, and Callie's heart lurched upon hearing that admission now.

"I couldn't even look at my leg for months, so I thought there was no way on Earth that Callie could. I had no idea how she could still love me when I couldn't be the woman she married. I was afraid that I was losing myself - scared that I would never again be the person I used to be," she softly admitted. "Those were the darkest days of my life. Darker than when my brother died. More agonizing than when my best friend passed away. I hated myself, Callie. . .and all those horrible feelings I had, I turned them on you because you were right there - right in the middle of it all. In the beginning I couldn't forgive you - I couldn't look beyond the fact that you hadn't kept your promise to not let them take my leg - but, I. . .I never stopped loving you, Calliope. Not ever. Not for one moment," she finished, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand as she settled herself back onto the couch.

Talking so candidly about her emotions - about how she felt back then - was more than a little overwhelming, but at the same time, very cleansing. Arizona had never actually come out and admitted any of that to her wife because she just expected her to know. Maybe she shouldn't have assumed that Callie would realize these things, but she was her person - the person who the blonde thought knew her better than anyone else in the world.

"Thank you for sharing with us, Arizona. That couldn't have been an easy time, and I admire your courage for discussing it with us here today," Dr. Wyatt acknowledged. Turning her attention toward Callie, she regarded the timid brunette who looked just as disheartened as the blonde who was seated on the opposite end of the couch from her. "Callie," she carefully encouraged. "Do you have anything you'd like to add?"

Nodding her head, Callie squared her jaw. Her heart ached for her wife, desperately wishing, not for the first time, that she had handled things differently. She had no excuses, and choosing to blame Arizona's behavior instead of her own lack of courage during that time, just simply wasn't going to work. Yes, Arizona had wounded her with her coldness and accusations, but Callie knew she should have been more supportive - more understanding. Her wife was grieving her loss and needed her to be the strong one. She needed her to step up and be what she herself couldn't, but instead Callie had deflected by placing all of her energy into fixing Derek's hand and trying to buy the hospital so that she wouldn't have to face the fact that she had no idea how to fix her own life and her own marriage that were both crumbling down around her.

"I knew how much you were struggling. I saw how much you hated yourself, and it killed me, Arizona," Callie stated, chancing a glance toward her wife. "I hurt for you every single day, but I didn't know what to do. You didn't want me to help you, so I tried to distance myself. I was selfish. . .I-I didn't support you. . ."

"No. That's not fair," Arizona interrupted. "I was awful to you, Callie. I pushed you away. You were still grieving over Mark. I should have been more patient," she replied, knowing that Callie shouldn't take all of the blame for this. She was very aware of how she had treated her wife, and to this day, she was sometimes surprised that she hadn't lost her - that they were still together.

"Don't do that, Arizona," Callie insisted. "You always make excuses for me. Yes, you were awful and yes, you pushed me away. You hurt my feelings, but I think losing your leg means you don't have to say you're sorry. After the car accident, you never left my side. Not once," she repeated, words she had uttered in complete honesty so many years before. "You stood by me and Sofia. You planned our wedding and put up with my mother's prejudice bull shit. You loved me endlessly, Arizona. Without condition. Without pretense. I may not have left your side after the plane crash, but emotionally, I wasn't there for you. I know that. I broke a promise to you, and I've not gone one day since then without feeling guilty about it," she stated, finally admitting to the feelings that had been weighing on her mind for so many years.

Arizona blinked, waiting with bated breath as Callie moved closer to her on the sofa, a look of sheer determination set on her wife's beautiful face. She didn't realize that Callie felt like this at all. God they sucked at communicating with each other.

Accepting the hand that Callie offered to her, their gazes once again locked, neither refusing to look away. "I focused all of my energy into other things instead of you. I thought I could ease how I felt by making sure that I didn't let anyone _else_ down. I fixed Derek's hand, I tried to buy the hospital. . ." Callie trailed off, shaking her head. "I thought I could push through and force things to go back to the way they were by doing what we always did - by ignoring the problem. You've always been the strong one, Arizona, and I didn't know what else to do. I didn't know how to be strong for _you_. When you needed me most, I wasn't there. . .I failed you. I refused to see you. I dismissed your concerns because I was terrified. I was terrified that if I really _saw_ you that all I would see was the resentment and hate you felt for me," she admitted, her eyes heavy with despair.

Arizona tentatively reached out to wind loose brunette hair behind her wife's ear. "I played my part, Callie. You deserved to have a wife who could love you. . .not a patient who had to be cared for. You needed me, and I wasn't there for you," she softly replied.

Callie shook her head as she slid across the sofa, her right thigh touching Arizona's left. Cupping two ivory cheeks with caramel hands, the Latina stared at her with all the love and devotion in the world. "I did need you, Arizona, but. . .you needed me, too. It was my turn to step up for you like you'd done for me so many times before. It was my turn to be the strong one. You lost your leg for God's sake. I should have done more," she cried as she desperately gazed into her wife's eyes.

"You did what you could, Callie. I know that. . .I've known that for years. I don't blame you," Arizona's words were strangled and equally as emotional as those of her wife. "Please tell me that you know that," she pleaded.

"I-I do, but I'll never be able to get over not being able to save your leg, sweetie. _Never. . ._but that's not what I'm talking about," Callie replied. "I should have pushed harder and been more supportive. I should have talked to you more. I should have been there every day asking you how you felt, but I was scared. I should have done so much more, Arizona, and I'm so very sorry," she trailed off as her eyes closed and her body crumpled into a weeping mess in the strong cocoon of her wife's arms.

Gathering Callie into her embrace, Arizona held Callie as close as humanly possible. She agreed with Callie's assessment of how they both had been during that period of time, but that didn't make it any easier to see her hurting now, and she certainly hadn't realized that her wife still carried around the burden of her feelings to this very day.

Arizona wished they had both done things differently. She wished Callie could have been stronger - that she had been more sensitive to her feelings - but she also knew how hard that time had been on her wife, as well. She wasn't the only one affected. This was Callie's life, too. They both had played their own role in the near demise of their relationship at that time, but there was nothing they could do about that now.

They had somehow moved past it. Arizona loved her wife more than anything, and she didn't want either of them to hurt because of it anymore. They may have been years late, but after the tears they had shed and the repressed feelings they had expressed, Arizona now felt lighter than she had in a very long time. There were no more secrets and no more hurt. After all of this, the blonde really felt that they would be able to move forward and put the past where it belonged - in the past.

Callie sobbed quietly into her wife's shoulder, her fists clenching handfuls of Arizona's scrub top. She felt more than a little overwhelmed, a mix of guilt and trepidation, but also a sense of relief flooding her being. She had admitted to what had been plaguing her for so many years, and to her relief, Arizona was still there comforting her, whispering hushed promises of love, and providing her with the anchor she needed to keep her tethered to the planet.

Pulling back and wiping her eyes, she searched her wife's face, finding nothing but endless love and hopeless devotion. "Can you ever forgive me?" she quietly asked.

Arizona wanted to tell Callie that there was nothing to forgive - that she understood now why she had behaved the way she had - but she knew deep down that that wasn't what her wife truly needed to hear. So, tilting her head to the side, she sighed as she reached out to brush away a wayward tear from her wife's cheek with the pad of her thumb . "I love you, Calliope. . .and I forgive you," she softly stated. "I did so years ago."

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**AN3: **So, another joint therapy session down. Are they getting there yet? Thanks so much to all of you for sticking around, and I look forward to reading what you all have to say! Have a good weekend!


	14. Chapter 14

**Title: **Ready to Love Again

**Author**: HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Collaborator: **Funkyshaz57

**Pairing:** Callie/Arizona

**Rating:** M/NC-17

**Summary: **After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer:** All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **This kind of came out of nowhere for us, but this is going to be the final chapter of this story. It wasn't planned that way, but the way the writing for this chapter worked out, it just felt right to end it here. You'll see what I mean once you make it to the end. Never fear, though, funkyshaz57 and I are very fond of epilogues, and we have already been discussing ideas for our next fic. For now, I sincerely hope you enjoy this installment of Ready to Love Again!

**AN2: **Not only would I like to thank funkyshaz57 for all of her help during the writing of this story, I would also like to thank our readers. You have stuck by this story even when you were confused by the direction it was going in, and I sincerely loved reading each and every one of your reviews. For those of you who decided that this fic was not for you, I just wonder why you kept reading. There was plenty of time to stop before you got to chapter 14, but for some reason you didn't. People have disagreed with certain aspects of this story, and I have taken a lot of time responding to them in order to see their perspective. I in no way mind getting bad reviews that I consider to be constructive, but I do not appreciate ones that are meant only to attack. I spend a lot of time on my writing, as well as responding to my reviewers. Anyone who has the courage to leave me a review and allows me the opportunity to respond knows that. Thanks again to everyone for reading, and I can't wait to see what you think about this final chapter! Enjoy!

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Sitting in her usual armchair, Dr. Wyatt watched as her clients entered her office before settling themselves onto the sofa opposite her. Observing the couple, she watched as they grasped each other's hands, scooting closer together on the couch as they made themselves comfortable. Their thighs touched, shoulders brushing against each other and thumbs caressing the backs of hands held tightly in the brunette's lap. Looking in the counselor's direction, they regarded her with tentative smiles, and she could sense the nervousness present in their every feature.

Clearing her throat and smiling back, she shook her head, unable to help the slight chuckle that left her lips at the apprehensive looks worn by both of the surgeons. "Please don't look so scared," she commented. "I promise I won't bite."

Callie and Arizona both let out nervous laughs as they once again smiled at the older woman. "Sorry. I think, given our last couple sessions, it's only natural for us to feel a little. . .jittery," Arizona replied, looking between her wife and the counselor. "But, we're here, and we're ready for anything," she confidently stated as Callie nodded her agreement.

Dr. Wyatt smiled, pleased that these sessions seemed to be boding well for the couple seated across the room from her. "I'm glad to hear that," she honestly replied. "I realize that the last two sessions have been emotionally difficult with some surprises that you didn't anticipate, but I really am quite proud of the progress you have made. You've managed to discuss some very complicated issues and still walk in here today looking just as in love as you did at your first joint session," she proudly stated. "That says a lot about how committed you both are to making your marriage work."

Both women looked pleased, sharing a brief glance in the other's direction. "Thank you," Callie spoke up, her voice steady and sure. "We definitely were a little surprised by the. . ._past issues_ that managed to work their way into the present, but despite the intense emotions we felt after talking about them, we both feel that it was a good thing and that we've learned a very valuable lesson."

Nodding her head, Dr. Wyatt wrote something on her every present clipboard. "And what lesson is that, Callie?"

Callie cleared her throat, looking in Arizona's direction. "Well, I think the most obvious lesson is that hiding from our issues and pretending that they don't exist isn't healthy at all," she replied. "We've also learned that our way of communicating over the years has been. . .less than stellar, and ultimately has caused unnecessary pain for both of us. We're both thankful that we've been able to rehash some of the past, and even happier that we were able to not only discuss, but move past all of that heartache with a renewed sense of hope that we won't make the same mistakes again."

Momentarily allowing her attention to move between her wife and the counselor, Callie decided to continue. "I mean, I know we'll disagree again, and I'm sure that at some point in time, we'll hurt each other's feelings, but I also know that from now on, I - _we_ - are going to talk more. We're going to communicate better and make one hell of an effort to not allow history to repeat itself."

Arizona stared at her wife, a pleased smile on her face. Hearing Callie speak so honestly and so confidently made her feel immensely proud. She knew how hard it had been for Callie to come here and for both of them to discuss their past; admitting their failures and inadequacies, not a favorite pastime of either woman. Hearing the confidence in her wife's voice, though, and knowing that they both were determined to move forward, made her love Callie that much more. "I love you, you know that?" she whispered quietly and reverently.

Callie blushed slightly. "I love you, too," she returned the sentiment, sealing it with a chaste kiss.

"I'm very happy to hear you say all of that, Callie," Dr. Wyatt replied with a genuine smile. "You two certainly seem to be making a conscious effort here. You've both shown your willingness to try harder, and that in and of itself is a huge step in the right direction to making sure that you both find a more productive form of communication," she added as she looked down at her clipboard.

Realizing that these women would most likely not be requiring her services for much longer, she still wanted to do all she could to supply any extra support they might need. So, with that in mind, she made her next suggestion. "What I'd like to discuss now, though, are the reasons you decided to seek counseling in the first place. I know we discussed this in some of your earlier sessions, but I'd like to backtrack for a moment if we may."

Nodding her head and taking a few deep cleansing breaths, Callie squeezed her wife's hand for support. "Of course," she began. "Well. . .I. . ._personally_ wanted to come here because I felt that I had some of my own issues that I needed to work out. Arizona and I were going through a rough period. There was an. . ._incident_ between the two of us that hurt her a lot. I-I scared her, but to be perfectly honest, I scared myself, so I wanted to get an outsider's perspective because I felt like I was losing myself. The person I was _then_, was someone I didn't know - someone I didn't like or recognize."

"I remember you telling me that your marriage had been suffering for a while. You told me. . ." Dr. Wyatt trailed off as she looked down at her notes, skimming through previous pages until she found what she was looking for. "You said, 'I became someone I didn't recognize. Someone I was disgusted by, and I never ever want to feel that way again'," she quoted Callie's own words from their first session together.

Clearing her throat, her body tensing upon hearing her own words read back to her, Callie nodded her head, indicating that the notes were accurate.

Upon hearing those words, Arizona scooted impossibly closer to her wife, wrapping her free arm around her waist, offering the support she knew she needed. While the greater part of their sessions had been beneficial for both of them, Arizona hadn't forgotten that Callie was the one who originally realized the importance of seeking some professional advice. She had forgiven her wife for her fleeting moment of rage, and they had moved on, but she hadn't forgotten how that one moment made her feel.

"Why don't you elaborate a little for me," Dr. Wyatt suggested. "Tell me about the rough patch you and Arizona were going through. I'd like to know what led you to becoming someone you didn't like."

Leaning into the silent support of the blonde seated beside her, Callie sighed. "Well, before we went on vacation, things had been. . .busy," she offered. "Hectic, is probably a better word, actually. Work was crazy, Sofia's school work and activities took up just about every spare second we had, and we just. . .hadn't been making time for each other. We were seriously just like ships in the night, passing each other by," she added with a heavy heart. "It was hard. Not only individually, but as a couple, and as a family."

Dr. Wyatt made a note on her clipboard, before tapping her pen against the paper. "That sounds fairly normal to me," she replied. "You're both surgeons. That isn't exactly a nine to five job sometimes, and you have a child who seems to excel at just about everything she does. I would expect your lives to be nothing short of _hectic,_" she continued. "You need to find a way to make a conscious effort, though - to make allowances considering the schedules you both live by. A marriage, otherwise, cannot survive."

Arizona blew out a breath, silently reflecting on those months that Callie was referring to. That time in their lives seemed fairly mild when considering the times they had talked about in their previous therapy sessions, but it still was a horrible time. She and her wife were both hurting and arguing, and no matter the degree of the catalyst, she never wanted to go through a time like that ever again. "We do make allowances. We both understand that this is the life we live - the life we have chosen for ourselves," she piped up. "But, you're right. A marriage can't survive without some effort being made, and I think that's what happened to us. We fell into a. . .rut. We forgot about each other, and that's just. . .it's never good."

"You're right. It never bodes well when you don't have enough time for each other," Dr. Wyatt agreed. "It's important to make time for each other, no matter how fleeting that time may be. It also may be important to limit the activities that Sofia is allowed to participate in. Children are always busy, but it sounds to me like she has just as busy of a schedule as the two of you."

Laughter bubbled up from both Callie and Arizona as they considered that statement. Nodding their heads in agreement, Callie decided to tackle this part of the conversation. "She is a busy little girl," she conceded with a rueful smile. "Apart from school, she plays sports, takes dance class and piano lessons, and recently started acting classes. Most week nights and weekends are full of rushing around to those things. It's busy, and. . ._hard_ at times, but Arizona and I want her to be able to succeed. We want her to know that she is capable of doing anything she sets her heart and mind to, and we don't want her to ever think that we aren't here for her or that we don't care. I mean. . .I know what it's like to be the girl who sits in the back of the class chewing her hair, and I don't ever want that for our daughter."

Arizona felt her heart swell with emotion as she listened to her wife's heartfelt words concerning Sofia; Callie feeling the sting of tears gather in her own eyes.

"It's only natural to want your daughter to have the best, and I can tell that you are both wonderful parents, but. . .can I ask why? What did you say that you don't want her to think that you don't care? Why would Sofia think that you aren't there for her when it appears that you are doing so much?" Dr. Wyatt asked.

The room fell silent, Callie and Arizona both trying to come up with a response to that question. Callie was almost positive that Arizona was thinking the same as her, but she'd been wrong before. Worried that she may wrongly interpret her wife, she decided to remain quiet, allowing Arizona to respond to that question - to honestly express her own feelings.

"Sofia lost her father," Arizona replied after swallowing the emotion that was gathering in the form of a lump in her throat. "She will never get to know what it's like to have a stable man in her life. She won't ever get to feel the warmth of her daddy's hug or-or know what it's like to be the apple of his eye," she continued, holding tightly to her wife's hand. "I. . .she. . .Sofia is a miracle. She's. . ._our_ miracle. By all accounts of science and medicine, statistically, she shouldn't have. . ._survived_ long after she was born," she trailed off, wiping a stray tear from her cheek with the back of her hand.

Sensing Arizona's need for a moment's reprieve, Callie decided to continue for her. "_That_, combined with the loss of her father, well. . .we just want to do anything and everything in our power to show her just how much she is loved. We can never replace Mark, nor would we want to. She was too little when he died, she doesn't even remember him - not really - but she's just such a great kid. She's smart and talented and well-behaved. She's every mother's dream for what they want their kid to be like, and we just want to make sure that she knows how special she is to us. Despite how she started out in this world, despite the loss of her father, we want her to be confident and know that there isn't anything she cannot do," she answered, tears welling in her chocolate eyes. "Sofia is my dream. She's. . ."

". . .my saving grace," Arizona interrupted her wife after taking a moment to compose herself. "She's everything I never knew I wanted, and I love her more than life itself," she continued, her voice sincere. "I made a promise to her years ago when she was born. As I stood there trying to get her tiny little heart to beat, I promised that if she would just make it - if she would live - then there would be no limit to what I would do for her."

Callie stared into her wife's watery eyes, her own tears now trailing down her tanned face. Leaning over, she pulled Arizona into a strong embrace. She knew Arizona loved Sofia endlessly and that she would move heaven and earth for the little girl, but she had never heard her voice such feelings aloud. Mark's death had taken its toll on their family; at times, his loss just as difficult for Arizona as it was for Callie. He was Callie's best friend and the father of their child, and she knew that this was partly why they gave Sofia so much - why they encouraged her to try everything.

While Sofia didn't understand this or what his loss meant, Arizona did. She was on a first name basis with death and wanted to do everything in her power to keep Sofia from feeling how she felt at the loss of her brother and her own best friend. She knew that day would come - that their little girl would inevitably learn the hurt and pain of such a loss - but that didn't mean that she and Callie couldn't do everything they possibly could to protect her until that time by giving her the best life that she deserved.

Dr. Wyatt paused, surprised by the swell of emotion she felt at the way these women spoke of their daughter, at the way they looked lovingly at each other, and the stoic demeanor with which they spoke of the loss of one of Seattle Grace Mercy West's finest surgeons. These women had been through more than the average couple, yet here they were, holding tightly to each other as they whispered promises of love, devotion, and hope. It wasn't often that she got to witness such love in her office, and the sight was humbling and really just. . .beautiful to see. "It's clear how much you love your daughter, and it sounds like you both are doing a great job as parents," she commented.

"Thank you," the couple acknowledged.

A minute of quiet reflection passed, allowing everyone in the room to collect their thoughts. "I realize that parenting a child such as Sofia comes with some pretty hectic demands, but was there something else? I'm sensing that there was more than just this that contributed to the rough patch the two of you experienced - something else that happened that led you to seek counseling," Dr. Wyatt surmised.

Gathering her thoughts for another round of explanation, Callie let out a breathy sigh, the upcoming topic not necessarily something that she wanted to repeat aloud. Considering her options, she finally conceded that this was the real reason they were here and that honesty was the best policy. Opening her mouth, the words quickly fell out. "We were busy, like I mentioned. We just had no time for each other, well. . .we weren't _making_ time for each other," she explained. "Every time we did try, something came up. We were both frustrated and lonely, and there was an. . .incident. Something happened. I misinterpreted a situation. . . " Callie trailed off before she could finish. God she was dreading this part.

"What situation did you misinterpret?" Dr. Wyatt urged, sensing that they had now reached the real catalyst for Callie's decision to seek counsel.

Callie looked toward her wife for support; Arizona nodding her head encouragingly, though Callie could see the regret present in her clear blue eyes. She knew that her wife had forgiven her, but that didn't make it any easier to talk about, and it certainly didn't lessen the blow of the feelings associated with her accusations. "I accused Arizona of. . .having an affair. . ." she finally said in a rush, hoping in some way that if she said it quickly that it wouldn't make her feel like total shit - like a total monster.

Dr. Wyatt showed no sign of judgment or blame, simply jotting down some notes before raising her head to regard her clients. "I'm assuming then, that Arizona did not have an affair?" she asked in search of clarification.

"Hell no!"

"No!"

Both women looked at each other as their responses came out simultaneously. "Sorry," Arizona meekly replied after her brief outburst. The counselor wasn't necessarily asking her, but she wanted to make absolutely sure that she knew that she did _not_ have an affair - that she had in fact _not_ cheated on her wife.

"It's fine, Arizona. Really," Callie said, gently patting the back of her wife's hand. Looking toward the ceiling as she blew out a long breath, she decided it was time to continue her story. "I accused her of cheating on me. I-I was just so sure of myself. I went through her emails. I was so angry and so devastated because I thought she was lying to me. I've been lied to before - I've been through _this_ before," she admitted, clearing her throat and pondering what to say next. "I was looking right at the woman I love - she was standing there totally dumbfounded and totally confused - but all I could see was her with another woman. I saw my entire world falling apart, my heart broken, my family destroyed. . .and for a brief moment, something inside me snapped. I charged after her. I wanted to hit something. I wanted to slap her," she stated, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes now focusing on the proverbial spot on the wall behind Dr. Wyatt's head. "I know it doesn't make it better and that it doesn't make what I did okay, but the instant the consequences of that impulse filtered into my brain, I stopped. . .but it was too late. The fear and the trepidation were already written across her face."

Callie dejectedly hung her head as tears wracked her body. Arizona was prepared for her wife to crumble at any moment, and when she did, she was there to catch her. Pulling her into her embrace, she placed loving kisses against soft brunette locks. "It's okay, baby. It's okay," she tried to soothe.

The counselor allowed the couple a quiet moment to comfort each other, the subject of infidelity one she had dealt with more than her fair share of times during the course of her career. One of the hardest obstacles to overcome in a marriage, she was glad that Callie's accusations had been unfounded, but knew that such allegations without clear proof of the act could lead to trouble, as well.

When Callie had calmed down enough to talk, she pulled back from her wife, feeling embarrassed for losing control. Wiping her tears, she looked sheepishly toward Arizona who looked at her with nothing but understanding and love. God, she was one lucky woman!

Glancing between the two women, Dr. Wyatt considered where to lead them next. "Infidelity is something that can destroy a marriage, and I'm glad that it wasn't something that actually happened here," she offered. "But, I usually find that one doesn't come to such harsh conclusions without good reason."

Arizona's head immediately snapped upward, her eyes narrowing at the calm looking woman seated across the room from her. For a brief moment, she wanted to say some not nice things to her. She loved Callie. She had never given her any indication that she was interested in someone else or that she was interested in leaving their marriage. How dare this woman insinuate that she might have done something to make Callie believe she was cheating on her.

Callie instantly felt the abrupt change in her wife's mood. Knowing she needed to talk fast before Arizona decided to go all cage fighter on their counselor, she squeezed her pale hand between her own. Arizona Robbins might look innocent, but she had a fierce streak inside her that could scare the hell out of even the most stoic person around.

Clearing her throat, the Latina began her story from where she had left off. "There was a bunch of. . ._clues_. Well, at least I thought they were clues," she stated, ruefully shaking her head. "I read too much into some things. The only thing Arizona was guilty of was being hit on by another woman, and that wasn't even her fault," she admitted. "I had some second hand information that I believed to be the gospel truth, and well. . .my insecurities got the better of me. Instead of really stopping to make a rational decision, I stupidly allowed my judgment to be clouded by all of those things. That's my fault - not Arizona's."

Feeling Arizona deflate at her side, Callie took that to mean that she had said the right thing in order to stop her wife from leaping over the small table separating them from their counselor, thankfully preventing her from attacking Dr. Wyatt with her prosthesis.

"I can see why that would make you feel uncomfortable," Dr. Wyatt offered after writing something down on her notepad. "It's easy to be sucked into second hand information, or. . ._gossip_, as I call it, and it's even easier to let your mind wander when you know that someone has made advances at your partner," she continued. "You mentioned insecurities, though. Do you think your feelings intensified your conclusion that Arizona was cheating on you?"

Callie silently nodded. There was no doubt that her own insecurities had played a big part in how she handled the situation. "I'm not proud of it, but yes," she hesitantly relented, feeling silly and embarrassed to talk about her insecurities. "I think the reason I felt so sure of myself had a lot to do with my own feelings of inadequacy. I've suffered with my self-esteem for my entire life, and I just. . .with everything going on, I let my insecurities eat away at me. Our. . .sex life was non-existent, and I mean. . .our sex life is never non-existent," she decided to clarify. "I started to think that I was the problem - that maybe Arizona wasn't. . ._interested_ anymore. I had just turned forty, I felt. . .ugly, and poorly about myself and my body, and there was a point when Arizona denied my. . ._advances_. . ." she trailed off feeling horribly uncomfortable.

Arizona glanced toward her wife, her brow furrowing as she tried to remember what point in time her wife was referring to. "What? When did I. . ."

"In the on-call room," Callie interrupted. "You told me you had a surgery to get to, but not twenty minutes later, I found you in the ER with Natalie. That ripped me apart, Arizona. I thought you lied about your surgery to get away from me. I-I thought you didn't want me anymore."

Arizona felt her heart break at her wife's admission. She knew that Callie sometimes struggled with issues concerning her body image, but she had never actually heard the word ugly leave Calliope Torres' mouth - especially not concerning herself - and she definitely had never considered that her wife might think that she didn't want her anymore or that she wasn't interested. "Babe. . ." she said, not really know what else to say. She thought Callie was breathtakingly stunning, and had no idea how she could ever think that she didn't. "I-I. . .I didn't know. . ."

Callie waved off the apologies she knew Arizona would give. She didn't need her wife to be sorry right now. She had always done everything she could to show Callie how desired she was. This was her own issue. These were her own feelings that she had experienced long before Arizona ever kissed her in that dirty bar bathroom ten years prior.

"You mentioned that you've had issues with your self-esteem for a long time," Dr. Wyatt led. "Before all of this happened, when was the last time you allowed those insecurities to get the better of you?"

Callie tilted her head to the side, seriously trying to remember the last time she felt such immense self-loathing, her eyes growing wide when she realized just when that was. "I've had moments here and there, but the last time I really felt like _that_ was after the. . .plane crash. I-I feel terrible saying that because Arizona lost her leg, and she was hurting so, _so_ much, but at that time I felt. . ._inadequate_," she admitted, feeling uncertain about the way her revelation would be perceived. "I don't just mean inadequate as a doctor because I was unable to help her, but also lacking physically as her wife. Arizona was constantly worrying about what I would think of her now that she only had one leg, but I was worried, too. I was terrified that she wouldn't want me anymore because I hadn't kept my promises to her. I thought that maybe because I had failed her. . .that she no longer found me attractive because I was no longer the person she wanted and needed me to be."

"Callie. . ."

The Latina halted her wife by holding up a shaky hand. "It took us a long time to get back to being _us_, and even longer to resume the physical part of our relationship, and I know - I know it was an adjustment, but for me, Arizona has always been the most beautiful woman in the world. Losing a leg didn't change a thing for me. She was just as stunning then as the day I met her, but I was afraid that she didn't view _me_ the same way she used to. I was scared that everything changed when I made the decision to take her leg," she softly confessed, swallowing hard to clear the lump from her throat. "Anyway, that was the last time I let my insecurities get the better of me, and when I allowed those feelings of not being good enough or not being wanted to resurface, I made a mistake that hurt Arizona - a mistake that I will forever feel sorry for. . ." Trailing off, Callie turned toward her wife, wanting her to see just how sorry she was. "I know how much you love me and how much you want me. All I can say is that I lost my head. I acted like a moron, and I will never allow that to happen again. Well, I might still act like a moron from time to time," she commented, trying to throw in a bit of humor. "But, I will never doubt you love for me again, and I will never _ever_ harm you."

Without stopping to think - without caring that they weren't alone - Arizona leaned in, capturing Callie's lips in a passionate tryst, her hands cupping tanned cheeks. Holding her wife close as she kissed her with all the passion, love, need, and desire that resided inside her, the blonde put everything she had into making it clear how very loved Callie was.

Pulling back, more than a little breathless, Callie felt only slightly self-conscious because it was quite difficult to feel much else when the blonde kissed her with such intensity. "Wow. . ."

Keeping Callie close, Arizona leaned her forehead against her wife's. "Callie, I had no idea you felt that way," she insisted. "I mean, I suspected. I guessed, but I didn't know. I-I after. . .the crash. . .it wasn't you. God! It wasn't you at all, and I feel so guilty that you were feeling like that all those months, and I was too selfish to see it!" she chastised herself.

"No don't blame yourself. You had a lot going on. I don't expect you to feel bad because I was feeling insecure," Callie argued.

"I should have known. I put so much responsibility on your shoulders, and I knew that I was pushing you away, but I never thought. . .I never imagined that you were feeling like that. I'm sorry I didn't know, but you have to know, baby. You are the sexiest woman I've ever laid eyes on, and there hasn't been one day that I've thought otherwise. Not now, or back then," Arizona honestly swore.

Both women again had tears in their eyes as they gazed at each other with nothing but love and devotion. This was them stripped down. More open and honest than they had ever been. Both apologizing for things they had both done wrong and both acknowledging that no matter what happened, they were going to get through this and be more than just fine.

"You know that I would never hurt you, right? You know that I'm so sorry I scared you that night?" she asked, almost pleading as she took Arizona's hands into her own, completely ignoring their counselor as they had done so many times before.

"I do know that. Was I scared? Yes, I was. . .but I know you would never hurt me, Calliope. I know that," Arizona replied truthfully. It was one moment in time - a moment she wished hadn't happened - but she was certain deep down into the furthest recesses of her soul that Callie would never physically harm her. "Do you know that I could never find you unattractive? Do you understand that I could never _not_ want you? No matter who hit on me? No matter who offered themselves to me. . .not matter anything? Do you hear me?" Arizona asked just as intensely.

Callie sighed, knowing that she needed to be completely honest. "I do hear you, and I'm working on it, Arizona. Most of the time, there is never a doubt in my mind of exactly how you feel for me," she confessed, pecking at her wife's lips. "But, sometimes there's still a little lingering doubt in my mind that I just can't help. It has nothing to do with you, though, sweetie. It's me, and that's why I think I should probably continue to see Dr. Wyatt for a while."

Turning their attention toward the counselor seated across the room from them for the first time in forever, the couple considered her smiling face. "Wonderful session today, ladies," she stated through her grin. "And Callie, I'll see you next week."

* * *

"Will mommy be here before I fall asleep?" Sofia asked later that night as she settled under the pink and brown polka dot duvet covering her bed.

"Not tonight, Sof," Arizona replied with a sad smile as she cuddled up next to her daughter. "Just one more night, though. She starts day shift again on Friday."

"I don't like it when she works at night," Sofia said with a pout. "I miss her when she's not here."

Arizona sighed. The truth was, she missed Callie just as much as their daughter did. Other than their session with Dr. Wyatt earlier that day, they had barely spent any time together this week - as Callie was arriving home in the mornings, Arizona and Sofia were rushing out the door. "I know you don't like it, baby. I miss her, too," she admitted. "I know this week has been bad, but mommy's resident will be back on Friday, and then we'll get to see her every night. Well, as much as possible."

"Will she be at my game on Saturday?" the little girl asked.

Arizona smiled as she reached out to stroke silky dark hair away from her daughter's face. "I don't think anything could stop her from being there," she honestly replied. "And I know that you're supposed to stay with Zola on Friday night, but if you'd rather stay home, you can."

Sofia seemed to ponder that offer, scrunching her face in deep thought. "You promise she'll be at my game on Saturday?"

"I do," Arizona replied with a smile.

"Do you think mommy will care if I stay with Zola?"

"I think mommy will be fine with that," Arizona stated, kissing Sofia on the cheek before rolling off the bed and stepping toward the door. "Get some sleep, Sof. Love you."

"Love you too, momma."

After flipping off the light, Arizona pulled the door almost shut before moving down the hallway and into the master bedroom. Sitting down on the bed, she tiredly removed her prosthesis before sliding the cotton sleeve off her residual limb, dropping it to the floor. Settling herself into the empty bed with her back propped up against the headboard, she reached out for her glasses, resting them on the bridge of her nose before gathering her laptop onto her thighs. Opening it up, she logged into the forum for surgeons to do some research on the rodding surgery she and Callie were performing on a six-year-old girl the following week.

Scanning through the list of users online, a dimpled grin lit her face when she realized that her wife was also logged into the site. Opening a chat window, her fingers moved quickly across the keyboard.

Before she could finish her message, words flashed across the screen.

**SURGEON42621**: Hey. . .it's been a while since I've seen you on here. ;)

Chuckling softly, Arizona erased her original message, her fingers once again quickly tapping against the keys.

**SURGEON55170**: Yeah, I've been super busy lately. I went on an AMAZING vacation with my AWESOME wife, and we've been spending as much time as possible together since we got back. I love her more than anything in the world, and I've recently realized that we've been kind of taking each other for granted, and I'm not going to do that anymore.

**SURGEON42621**: I think I can safely say that your wife loves you more than anything in the world, too. . .and she has missed you like crazy this week.

Arizona sighed when she read Callie's words.

**SURGEON55170**: I miss you too, babe. Where are you right now?

**SURGEON42621**: In my office. It's slow here tonight, so I was looking up some stuff for our osteogenesis imperfecta kid.

**SURGEON55170**: Me too! :)

**SURGEON42621**: Great minds! ;) How was Sofia tonight?

**SURGEON55170**: Good. She misses you. I assured her that you'd be at her game on Saturday.

**SURGEON42621**: Ugh. I miss her so much! Sometimes I hate this job. I'll DEFINITELY be at her game.

Drumming her fingertips against the keys, Arizona worried her bottom lip between her teeth, pondering her next response. Tilting her head to the side, she watched the cursor blink before swiftly typing her next message.

**SURGEON55170**: Do you think chatting with you online counts as communication in Dr. Wyatt's book?

A moment passed before a soft beeping alerted her to a new message.

**SURGEON42621**: I don't see why not. What's up?

Arizona paused again, wondering if she should have this conversation here or perhaps just call her wife since she knew she wasn't busy. Deciding to just go ahead with this form of communication, her fingers flew across the keys.

**SURGEON55170**: I have something to tell you, and I wanted to talk to you about our therapy sessions, but I can wait until you aren't at work.

**SURGEON42621**: I'm not busy, Arizona. Shoot!

**SURGEON55170**: Well. . .first of all, I need to tell you that Dr. Minardi - Natalie - is going to be back at SGMW this week for a follow-up for the Lennox-Gastautkid she consulted with Derek and me on. I just found out after our therapy session that she arrives tomorrow. I came to find you before I left, but you were already in surgery. I couldn't wait any longer to tell you. I just really wanted you to know, and I really wanted you to hear it from me.

In her office lit only by the glow of a desk lamp, Callie swallowed the lump that unfortunately formed in her throat. She was working on her insecurities, she really was, but the mention of _that_ name would forever remind her of a less than stellar time in her marriage.

Tapping her fingers against her keyboard, she pondered her response. After a moment of watching the cursor flicker inside the chat window, she moved her fingers across the keyboard.

**SURGEON42621**: Okay.

Arizona sighed, noting the hesitation and then the briefness of her wife's one word response.

**SURGEON55170**: That's it? Just okay?

**SURGEON42621**: Lol. What do you want me to say, Arizona?

**SURGEON55170**: Something. . .anything! Definitely more than just 'Okay'.

Callie closed her eyes, wondering what exactly she should say. Thinking back to the time when Natalie had first entered their lives and to the discussions they had engaged in with Dr. Wyatt that very day, she stretched her neck from side to side. Deciding that honesty and open communication would be the only way she could respond, she entered her reply into the computer.

**SURGEON42621**: I'm not going to tell you that I like the fact that she hit on you, but I'm not going to freak out, either. We're so past that. We're in such a better place now than we were back then. I'm also not going to tell you that the fact that other women find you irresistible doesn't make me feel a little insecure, BUT I'm working on it. You know that. Thank you for telling me, though. I wouldn't have wanted to find out about it any other way.

Arizona smiled, considering the candor and integrity of her wife's response.

**SURGEON55170**: Good answer. ;)

Callie actually chuckled out loud upon reading her wife's response.

**SURGEON42621**: Yeah, I know. :P So, what did you want to tell me about therapy?

Arizona hesitated, unsure if she wanted to talk about this online. Rationalizing that she wouldn't actually get to talk much with her wife for the next two days, she tapped out her response.

**SURGEON55170**: Just that I know I wasn't very into it in the beginning, but I'm glad we're going. Really, really glad. AND. . .just so you know, I'll beat your ass if you don't start talking to me. We can't wait a thousand years to discuss things anymore, Callie. The first two weeks of our sessions sucked. This week was better because we were a little more prepared, but I didn't like hearing all those things years and years later.

Callie's eyes scanned her wife's words. Yeah, those first sessions did suck, but she was going to make a conscious effort to never allow them to venture down that path again - to never get themselves into that kind of situation ever again. They were going to talk about things when they happened, not just let them go. They both had carried around so much guilt and so much hurt for so long that, while she hated to admit it, she was surprised they were still married and that they had made it this far. Smiling slightly, tanned fingers typed out a response.

**SURGEON42621**: First of all, do you promise you'll beat my ass? ;)

**SURGEON55170**: I'm serious, Calliope!

**SURGEON42621**: Lol! I know you are. . .and I promise that I will do my very best to NEVER EVER let so much time go by without communicating with you, BUT you have to promise me the same thing.

Arizona smiled, happy that they were having this conversation, even if it was via cyberspace. Callie was right. She was just as guilty of putting up walls and not discussing their issues, even if in the end, she somehow had an easier time of dealing with them than her wife. Shifting on the bed to a more comfortable position, her pale fingers then moved across the keys.

**SURGEON55170**: I know I'm just as guilty of hiding as you are. Not anymore, though. I love you so much, Callie. . .and I promise that we'll talk! There will be lots and lots of talking!

**SURGEON42621**: Lol. I love you so much, sweetie! If that's settled, I have something to ask you. . .

**SURGEON55170**: Go for it!

**SURGEON42621**: What are you wearing? ;)

* * *

"You ready for date night?" Callie asked on Friday evening when she came up behind her wife who was sitting at a computer at the nurses' station of the Peds Wing.

Arizona turned away from the screen, a huge smile on her face. "You bet," she stated as she leaned up to briefly peck her wife's cheek before turning back around to log out of the system. "Just one more second, and . . ."

The obnoxious blaring of a pager interrupted her statement.

"Oh, no! No, no, no," the blonde practically whined.

Callie sighed, looking down toward the device clipped to the pocket of her lab coat. Checking the display, she hesitantly looked back up toward her wife. "It's Owen. 911 in the pit," she reluctantly informed.

"This isn't happening tonight, Calliope. We have tickets to see _Gypsy. _You know it's my favorite," Arizona pouted as she jumped up from her chair. "I thought your resident was going to be back today."

"I know, sweetie. I'm sorry," Callie said earnestly as she swiftly walked toward the elevator, the blonde following quickly behind. "I'm going to go see what Owen needs, but McCartney should be here in fifteen minutes, and then _he_ can deal with it. Whatever it is."

Arizona rolled her eyes as the elevator door closed in front of them. "I haven't seen you all week, Callie," she said with a huff , her bottom lip poking out and her brow furrowing.

Callie turned toward her wife, finding the pout on her face more than a little adorable. "Listen," she began as she took the blonde's hands into her own. "There's plenty of time before the show starts. I'll go see what the emergency is. I'll give McCartney report once he gets here, and then I'll be out of here. Go to Joe's, have a glass of wine, and I'll meet you there before you know it."

Arizona sighed, considering her options. "You promise?" she grumbled.

Callie leaned forward, placing a less than chaste kiss against pouty pink lips. "I promise."

* * *

An hour later, Arizona sat alone at the bar, running her finger around the rim of her glass, hoping desperately that Callie would be able to make it out of work in time for their date.

"Can I get you something else?" the bartender asked, interrupting her silent brooding.

"White wine," she replied.

"What kind?"

"Chardonnay, please," she politely answered.

As she sat silently waiting for her wife to arrive, she pulled her phone out of her purse, deciding to call and check on Sofia at the Shepherd's. "Hey, Derek. It's Arizona," she said when the male voice answered the phone. "I just called to check on Sofia. Yeah, if you don't mind, that would be great.

Waiting for the angelic voice of her daughter to pick up the phone, she tapped her fingers against the wooden bar top, silently thanking the bartender when he placed a full glass of wine in front of her.

"Hey, momma!"

"Hey, big girl. I just wanted to check to make sure everything was okay since I didn't get to see you after school."

"I'm good, momma. I'm so excited!" the little girl joyfully exclaimed. "We're going to make our own pizzas with whatever toppings we want and then after that, we're making ice cream sundaes."

"Mmm," Arizona hummed, a grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "That sounds _awesome_!" she said, taking a sip from her glass.

"It's gonna be so cool!"

Arizona chuckled softly at her daughter's response. "Well, you have fun, tonight. . .and BE GOOD," she warned. "Mommy and I will see you in the morning at your game, okay?"

"Okay, momma. I have to go. It's time to put the pepperoni on the pizza."

With that, the line went dead. Arizona shook her head ruefully at just how passionate and _full speed ahead take no prisoners_ Sofia was - at how _Callie-like _she tended to be. Drinking the rest of her wine, her gaze kept moving to the entrance of the bar, her heart dropping a little more each time the stunning Latina she loved so much wasn't in sight. Swiping her thumb across the touch screen on her iPhone, she opened her messaging app to send Callie a quick text.

_I'm going to kill McCartney if we miss this play tonight, Calliope. _

"Can I get you another glass?"

Arizona looked up from her phone toward the new, but slightly familiar voice to find a stunning brunette with bright green eyes taking the vacant seat to her right. Momentarily shocked by the question, Arizona leaned away from the newcomer, taking her in. "Well hello, Dr. Minardi," she replied, a dimpled grin suddenly taking over her face.

The brunette raised her eyebrows in response as she stared at the beautiful blonde in front of her. She assumed that she was still taken, but there was no harm in a bit of innocent flirting. Who could blame her, right? With those adorable dimples and a smile like that directed at _her_, how could any woman - or man - resist? "So, about that drink," Natalie urged.

Arizona shook her head. "Rain check," she firmly stated. "Because I have a date with the most beautiful woman in the world, right now," she continued, her smile growing ever brighter.

Looking over her shoulder, Natalie visibly deflated when she saw the object of the blonde's affection - the _real_ reason for the infectious smile that consumed her every feature. Pursing her lips, Natalie nodded her head in resignation. "Have fun with your wife tonight, Dr. Robbins," she softly conceded before walking away.

Not even bothering to acknowledge the departing woman, Arizona stood up from her bar stool to greet her wife. "Well, hello there. . ." she drawled. "Aren't you looking absolutely ravishing, tonight," she stated, her eyes raking up and down the gorgeous body in front of her. Taking in the sight of Callie's attire, Arizona's tongue peaked out to lick at dry lips as she ogled the short black dress that landed just above the Latina's knees and clung to every single one of her curves, serving to do nothing but amplify her beauty - and her cleavage. Wow!

Callie chuckled softly as she watched her wife's eyes nearly bug out of her head. "You know, my eyes are up here, McPervy," she said with a chuckle. "Look at my face, Arizona," she teased, secretly loving the presence of horny teenager Arizona Robbins.

Stepping into her wife's space, Arizona tilted her head to the side, her clear blue eyes twinkling mischievously. As Callie smiled down at her, their eyes locked, tanned and ivory arms simultaneously wrapping around the other's body as their mouths met in a kiss born of separation, need, and desire. This week had been so hectic, but this was date night, and both were excited for their evening together.

Pulling away from her wife's kiss before it could grow too heated, Callie smirked as she looked down upon her wife's face. With her arms still tightly wrapped around Arizona's waist, the Latina leaned down to whisper into her ear. "Can I buy you a drink before we leave?" she asked. "I think I might need to stake my claim before someone else tries to steal you away from me," she stated, her head tilting in the direction of the jilted brunette sitting at a table in the corner of the bar.

Arizona couldn't help the shiver that quaked through her body at the sensation of hot breath against her ear. Leaning away, she smirked at her wife, eyebrows raising. "Baby, you're free to stake your claim anytime you want," she insisted, once again leaning up to peck at full lips.

Callie threw back her head, a hearty laugh emanating from her at her wife's silliness. Swatting her rear, the Latina then pulled her back toward the bar before ordering two drinks. Sitting across from her wife at the corner of the bar, Arizona gazed lovingly at Callie who couldn't help the blush that crept up her chest and onto her cheeks. "What?" the Latina asked almost defensively.

"Nothing," Arizona replied with a cheeky grin as she reached out to smooth a wayward curl at the side of Callie's face. "Can I not just look at my wife?"

"Such a weirdo," Callie mumbled just loud enough for Arizona to hear.

Laughing out loud, Arizona playfully swatted at her wife's arm. "Watch it, lady," she teased.

Both woman settled onto their bar stools, enjoying their beverages as they each flirted shamelessly with the other, sneaking glances like two love struck teenagers. This felt nice. It felt good to be out having time to just relax and appreciate the presence of each other, and not just for an hour or two, but for the remainder of the evening.

Halfway through her glass of Pinot Noir, Callie couldn't help but allow her gaze to drift toward the younger brunette seated in the corner of the room. Following her wife's line of sight, Arizona finished the last of her wine before quickly standing to move behind her. Leaning her front seductively against Callie's back, the blonde then leaned her chin onto a bare shoulder. "Come on, babe. Time to go," she husked into her ear. "We have plans. . .and then after those plans, I have some more. . .umm. . ._adult_ plans for us, and if you're lucky, those will involve a ton of nakedness."

Not needing to be told twice, Callie lifted her glass draining it comically before jumping up from her seat. The couple smiled toward the woman seated in the corner as Arizona threw a couple bills onto the bar top. Moving toward the exit, she offered her hand to her wife who followed closely behind.

* * *

"You're super giddy tonight," Callie commented, glancing up from her Playbill toward the blonde seated next to her in the _Paramount Theatre_.

"Three glasses of wine in a very short period of time may have been one too many," Arizona softly admitted with a cheesy grin.

Callie smiled as she closed her program. "You're not going to like fall asleep on me and drool on my shoulder or anything, are you?" she teased.

"I'm not drunk, Callie," Arizona scoffed. "But I _am_ really, _really_ happy to be here with you right now."

Callie leaned over to lay her lips against the silky smoothness of her wife's cheek. Taking Arizona's hand into her own, she laced their fingers together as the lights in the theatre went dim. "Me, too, sweetie," she admitted as the overture began. "Me, too."

* * *

"You know, if you keep that up, you're going to give the poor. . .umm. . .cab driver. . .oh God. . .way more than his twenty dollars' worth," Callie stammered, trying to gain some sense of coherent thought as her wife's hands and lips wandered over her body.

The evening had gone splendidly, after enjoying the play, they had stopped at a late night diner for a night cap where they laughed non-stop and flirted with each other relentlessly. Between work, therapy, and Sofia, Callie sometimes thought that she had forgotten to just be fun and happy, but tonight she was more relaxed than she had been since their return from Spain. Tonight was all about happy and fun, though, and the things that her sexy wife was now doing to her body in the back of a cab on their way home to a house that had no child in it. Sexy wife, check. Empty house, check. An evening free of pagers, check - and Callie fully intended on taking advantage of it.

"Mmm, but you feel so good," Arizona replied before capturing her wife's lips in yet another bruising kiss. "I don't want to stop kissing you," she gasped after a particularly heated meeting of their wanton mouths.

Callie moaned against Arizona's moist lips. For all her protests, she was hardly doing a very good job of putting up a fight, and if that pale hand carried on moving any higher up her thigh, she was positive she wouldn't be able to control her actions.

Thankfully, before either of them lost their composure beyond endless kissing and innocent groping, their house came into view. Reaching into her purse, Arizona hastily pulled out a fifty dollar bill, throwing it at the driver, not even caring to wait for the change. Quickly exiting the cab, she reached for Callie's hand before dragging her up the driveway toward the front door.

Callie giggled like a school girl at her wife's antics. There was nothing better than a turned on Arizona Robbins and when she got like this - so desperate and so frenzied - it was hard to keep up, and she knew that she just had to hold on tight for the ride, hoping like hell that she made it out in one piece.

Heart racing and her excitement at a level it hadn't been for a while, Arizona wasted no time in nearly breaking down their front door as she fiddled to unlock it with her key. Refusing to let go of Callie's hand for even a second, she kicked the door such behind her before throwing her purse down and toeing off her shoes as she listened to her wife laugh as she did the same.

Arizona was in no mood for laughing or teasing tonight. Right now all she wanted to do was fuck her wife, and she wasn't even the slightest bit sorry for it. Once free of any baggage that might impede her wants, she swiftly turned to her gaze Callie was standing before her looking like sex on legs.

Callie's laughter came to an abrupt halt when she heard a growl bubble up from within her wife's chest - a predatory look in her piercing cerulean eyes. Goosebumps rose on the Latina's exposed caramel arms, and her chocolate eyes widened in shock as the blonde stalked toward her before effectively knocking the breath from her chest as she slammed her against the foyer wall. The house was dark, lit only by the moonlight and the street lights outside, but it was enough to illuminate the lust and passion in those blue eyes that now roamed her body with a silvery glow.

Callie's eyes blinked twice, surprised by the force with which Arizona had just thrown her against the wall, but reveling in the familiar wetness that she felt flood between her legs. "Baby?" Callie moaned in question, her heart racing double time. Dominant Arizona was seriously hotter than the sun.

"No talking, Calliope. Just fucking. Lots and lots of fucking," she insisted, leaning in to capture Callie's mouth with her own, her right thigh parting her wife's legs and thrusting against it.

Callie moaned out loud at the sound of her wife's husky voice, pressing her hips forward in search of the friction she so desperately needed. She was perfectly fine with no talking right now - perfectly fine with allowing Arizona to take the lead. Both women loved _making_ _love_ to each other; they loved watching the other slowly lose control, but sometimes, they just needed to let loose. Their sex life often made for an interesting time - both woman with dominant tendencies - and most of the time, it was a battle to the very end to see who came out on top.

"Please. . ." Callie begged as Arizona stared into her darkened eyes.

With over a week's worth of pent up energy coursing through her veins, all Arizona wanted to do was pour everything she had into this sexy woman she currently had pinned against the wall. So, nodding her head without even a moment's thought of even teasing her wife, she slid her hands under Callie's tight black dress, pale fingers sliding past soaked panties until she found her destination.

"So hot. So wet," Arizona panted, easily slipping two fingers inside her wife's entrance.

"So close," Callie admitted as she threw her head back against the wall. God that was fast. It wasn't going to take much longer at all for her to tumble head first over the cliff and into orgasmic oblivion.

"I know, baby," Arizona husked. "Come for me, Callie. Come now!" she demanded as she pushed forward, deeper, and harder into her wife's pulsing depths. Once, twice, and then three more times with an insistent swipe of her thumb over a taut bundle of nerves and that was a wrap. Callie's walls tightened, spasming around Arizona's fingers, the blonde's name echoing off the foyer walls.

Arizona's hand continued to move slowly through the wetness that now coated her fingers, bringing Callie down from her climax as she kissed her face, nose, and forehead before laying a long and lingering kiss against plump lips.

"Holy shit, Arizona. . .I'm not sure I can stand," Callie said, her eyes closed as she tried desperately to control her ragged breathing.

"I've got you, baby," Arizona murmured into her ear, a hint of smugness coming through. She had just fucked her wife senseless and made her come in less than a minute - definitely cause for being smug.

Eyes still closed, Callie's lips twitched at their edges. "You can just wipe that smug look off your face right now, woman," she growled.

Arizona's addictive laugh reached her ears as she slowly pushed herself away from the wall. "How do you know I have a smug look on my face?" she teased. "I'm just. . .happy. . .that I could, you know. . ._help_ you out. You seemed a bit wound up. . ._tight_. . ." she trailed off as that smug look turned into a full blow smirk.

Callie opened her eyes to see, as guessed, a shit eating grin on her wife's face. Those blue eyes were just full of mischief and devilment, and she felt herself getting all worked up again just at the sight. Moving forward, she frowned as Arizona moved away. Attempting to not act as if she had just been fucked senseless, Callie lowered her voice as she reached for the blonde. "Going somewhere, my love?"

Stepping back inch by inch, Arizona stared directly into her wife's gorgeous face. "That depends," she cheekily replied. "You going to follow me?"

"Nope," Callie commented, quickly stepping forward to grab Arizona around the waist, a squeal of delighted surprise loudly resonating throughout the room. "But I _am_ going to rock your world."

* * *

"You ready, superstar?" Callie asked Sofia from where they stood along the sidelines of the basketball court the following morning.

"I'm always ready, mommy," Sofia stated as dribbled the ball between her legs. "Cause I'm _awesome_!"

Callie and Arizona both laughed at their daughter's response. This girl certainly wasn't lacking in self-confidence that was for sure. Watching as she turned to run toward the foul line, Arizona yelled out to stop her. "Wait," she called, watching as Sofia turned back toward her, a huge smile spreading across the child's face.

"High five, momma!" Sofia insisted.

Arizona grinned. This was their shtick - something Mark had started when Sofia was a baby, but something that Arizona was determined to continue. They did this for good luck before every game. Smacking Sofia's palm, the blonde then balled her fingers into a fist. "Dap!" she said with a smile as Sofia gently pounded her knuckles.

"Blow it up!" Sofia continued.

"Boom!" they cheered in unison before mimicking the sounds of an explosion with their mouths, spreading their fingers and shaking them in the air.

Callie threw her head back in laughter at the sight of the interaction between mother and daughter. Watching as Sofia turned and took off across the basketball court at full speed, the Latina shook her head. "Don't be a ball hog!" she shouted to her oblivious daughter.

Stepping around Callie and heading toward the stands, Arizona paused momentarily, turning to look at her wife. "You ready?" she asked as she reached out to take Callie's hand.

Callie smiled as she accepted the pale hand reaching out for her. Walking behind Arizona, they exchanged pleasantries with several of the other parents before settling into their usual seats on the bleachers. As normal, Callie sat with her arm draped around Arizona's shoulders; Arizona with her own snaked around Callie's waist, their bodies seemingly melding into one. Arizona screamed and yelled in her usual embarrassingly adorable way as Callie cheered on their little girl, standing to clap and shout when she scored the winning basket. As the game played on, anyone in the world who knew them just a little bit could tell that all was perfectly content in their world.

* * *

On the following Monday, Callie stood behind a curtain in the ER, examining a nine-year-old boy's right arm. "Well Michael, it doesn't look broken," she said to the little boy and his mother. "We'll get an x-ray to be sure, but it looks like you just sprained your wrist."

The mother nodded as Callie removed her gloves. "Are you sure, Dr. Callie?" Michael asked. "Because casts are so cool!"

Callie chuckled softly as Michael's mom rolled her eyes. "If it's sprained, we'll give you a brace to wear for a while. How's that sound?" she offered with a smile.

Michael thought about her response. "Cool," he nonchalantly shrugged.

Callie turned her attention toward the boy's mother. "Dr. McCartney will be here soon to take you to X-ray. He'll do whatever is necessary, and then you'll be good to go."

"Thank you, Dr. Torres," the woman replied.

Pulling back the curtain, Callie walked toward the center of the ER, haphazardly jotting notes on the clipboard in her hand. Leaning up against the nurses' station, she continued to write the order for Michael's X-ray until the familiar sound of her wife's intoxicating laughter caught her attention. Looking up from her work, Callie smiled when she saw the blonde step out of a curtain area followed by Alex Karev.

Watching from across the crowded ER, she couldn't help but stare at the beautiful woman whom she had the pleasure of calling her wife. Clad in what would be considered less than sexy scrubs and her lab coat, it was still painfully obvious that she had an amazing body, a shapely bottom, and magnificent breasts. There was just something unreal about her. Her face, somewhat luminous with an ivory tone, and her eyes a piercingly sharp shade of blue, her enchanting face was framed by wavy, blonde curls.

Clearing her throat, Callie continued to watch the blonde laugh and talk animatedly with her right hand man. God was she gorgeous. . .and she was all hers. She and Arizona were committed to each other. They were a family. They had a beautiful eight-year-old daughter. Arizona loved her, and she loved Arizona, and none of the rest of it mattered. Life was so, _so_ good.

Watching as Alex exited the ER, Callie winked when the blonde turned in her direction. "Hey," she said as Arizona approached. "How's your day been?"

"Good," the blonde replied, tapping her fingers against the desk. "But, the weekends are seriously never long enough."

Callie stuck out her bottom lip in a mock pout. "I have some time," she offered. "You want to run out for lunch?"

"That sounds. . ."

"Hey, Dr. Robbins," a voice interrupted. "You ready for our consult?"

Callie and Arizona both looked in the direction of the newcomer. Noting Natalie's presence, they both seemed to compose themselves, their postures straightening at the intrusion of their private moment. Looking between each other, Callie then handed her clipboard to the nurse seated at the desk. "Actually, Arizona and I were just about to run out for something to eat," she stated. "Would you like to join us? You can discuss your patient over lunch."

Arizona's eyebrows rose as she regarded her wife with disbelief. Crossing her arms over her chest, she turned her attention toward the younger brunette.

"I-I. . .sure," Natalie stammered. "I'd like that."

Taking Arizona's hand into hers, she led her out the ER doors and into the sunlight as Natalie followed behind. "5 Point Cafe?" Callie asked, motioning in the direction of their go to lunchtime restaurant across the parking lot from the hospital.

"Sounds great," Arizona replied as she turned back toward Natalie, but not really caring about her response.

Putting one foot in front of the other, the three crossed the street toward their destination. Finally reaching the large windows of the restaurant front, Callie opened the door, holding it open for her wife and their guest. Moving toward their usual seat at a table near the back corner of her restaurant, Callie and Arizona took their normal seats as Natalie hesitantly took the seat across from the blonde.

Handing menus to both Callie and Natalie, Arizona then leaned in toward her wife, smiling brightly as she pointed out specific items on the menu. That was something she loved to do. She was a lover of food - not all food - just good food. She had the uncanny ability of being able to point out specific ingredients in certain restaurant's dishes, and the two of them spent many enjoyable and even sexy nights together sharing a bottle of wine while attempting to replicate the recipes at home. "I think I'm going to have the Cuban," she stated after quickly perusing the menu. "Do you remember the night we made the Cuban sandwich at home?" she asked, resting her head in her hand as she stared lovingly at the side of Callie's face.

"How could I forget?" Callie replied, tilting her head to whisper into Arizona's ear. "That night we had sex on the kitchen counter. . .and then on the floor. . .and then up against the refrigerator. . ." she trailed off, kissing her wife's blush reddened cheek.

From across the table, Natalie watched the two interact, a wistful look upon her face. It was clear to her that they were meant to be together. It was obvious that the two brought out and complemented the bests parts of the other - each woman making the other feel smart, funny, attractive, and one hundred percent appreciated. Their physical chemistry was undeniable, and it was obvious from the way they laughed together that they appreciated the simple pleasures of life - each woman able to crack the other up with just the simplest statement.

This was a healthy relationship - something that the younger brunette longed for in her own life - something that she hoped she would someday be able to find. Clearing her throat, she blushed slightly before she spoke. "You know, I've always wondered if true love really exists, but sitting here with the two of you, I can honestly say that I'm pretty sure it does," she said, an uncharacteristically shy look written across her face. "I hope that someday I'm able to find that."

Callie and Arizona both regarded the younger surgeon with stunned looks on their faces. "I'm sure you will," the Latina replied, surprising herself. "There's someone out there for everyone. The path to finding true love is often filled with heartache, disaster, and a ton of wrong paths, but you'll get there. I did. . .and I'm never looking back."

* * *

**AN3: **I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks so much for continuing to read, and I sincerely look forward to reading all of your reviews! Have a great weekend!


	15. Epilogue

**Title**: Ready to Love Again

**Author**: HandsThatHeal2

**Co-Collaborator**: Funkyshaz57

**Pairing**: Callie/Arizona

**Rating**: M/NC-17

**Summary**: After eight years of marriage, Callie and Arizona find themselves on unsteady ground and drifting apart when their busy lives continuously get in the way of their time together. Will they work together as a couple to build a firmer foundation, or will they succumb to their differences and decide to go their separate ways?

**Disclaimer**: All television shows, books, movies, songs, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

**AN: **Well, here it is, folks. The final installment of Ready to Love Again. I want to express my deepest gratitude and thanks to each and every one of you for going on this journey with me. Your reviews and comments have been so kind, and I have enjoyed reading every single one. Thanks again!

**AN2: **Of course, I would like to send out an extra special THANK YOU to funkyshaz57 for completing yet another story with me! You're the best!

* * *

"So, you know how important it is to keep this a secret, right?" Callie asked Sofia as she lay in bed with her daughter on Thursday night after dance class and a shower.

Sofia huffed, rolling her eyes. "I'm ten years old now, mommy. I'm not a baby anymore. I can keep a secret."

Callie smiled as she turned onto her side to face her daughter. "You think she's going to like it?" she asked as she smoothed wavy dark hair back from the little girl's cheek.

Sofia scrunched her face in deep thought. "Well, you know that momma doesn't like. . ."

"Momma doesn't like what?" a new, but very familiar voice penetrated the air inside the ten-year-old's bedroom.

Callie and Sofia's heads both snapped in the direction of the door, mouths agape and identical chocolate orbs looking more than a little guilty. Quickly sitting up on the edge of the bed, the Latina waved off her wife. ". . .to cook. . ." she offered.

"Yeah," Sofia piped up as she scooted up to sit against the headboard. "Sometimes you don't like to cook. . ."

Arizona suspiciously eyed her wife and daughter, knowing full well that they were both lying through their brilliant white teeth. "Uh-huh," she said, crossing her arms over her chest, a stern look covering her face. That look might put the fear of God into residents, interns, and nurses, but not these two - not now. Not when they had such a secret to keep. Stepping further into the room, she leaned over the bed to kiss her daughter on the forehead. "You know I know you're lying to me, right Sofia?" she asked as she sat down next to her wife, her gaze trained exclusively on their daughter.

Sofia nervously looked between her mothers, Callie's soulful brown eyes daring her to open her mouth, Arizona's brilliant blue daring her to not. "I-I. . .I'm not lying, momma. I promise," she insisted with an uneasy giggle. "A-and I'm a little offended that you think that of me after you've taught me to always be honest," she stated, laying it on thick as she crossed her own arms over her chest, meeting the blonde's glare with equal intensity.

Callie pressed her lips into a firm line as she tried to stifle the chuckle that threatened to erupt from within her at the sound of the grown up statement her daughter had just supplied. Glancing between the stubborn ladies currently engaged in a battle of wills with their blazing eyes, she decided to end this before Sofia had the chance to crack. "Okay. Bedtime, Sof," she said as she leaned over her wife to kiss her daughter's cheek. "Lights out in fifteen minutes," she continued, grabbing Arizona's hand, abruptly pulling her from the bed.

"Goodnight mommy. Night, momma," Sofia replied in a rush, the relief that her mommy had just saved her from the wrath of her momma apparent on her tanned face as she quickly threw the covers over her head.

"Love you, big girl," Callie said as she flicked off the light before dragging Arizona out of the room.

After the two women entered the master bedroom, Arizona stumbled behind her wife as Callie immediately moved into the bathroom to escape her. "You know I know _you're_ lying to me, too. Right, Calliope?" Arizona asked as she turned the knob only to be met by a locked bathroom door. "And now you're _hiding_ from me."

"I'm about to take a shower, Arizona. I'm not hiding," Callie called as she turned on the water.

"I don't believe you," the blonde stated, impatiently jiggling and tugging on the door knob.

Several silent moments passed before Callie caved. Unlocking the door, she peeked her head out a slight crack in the now opened door. "I'm a little offended that you don't believe me. . .after all we've been through," she scoffed, repeating her daughter's words.

Arizona stomped her foot like she and Callie had witnessed Sofia do so many times in the middle of a tantrum, a pout forming on pink lips. "I really hate you right now," the blonde firmly stated.

Callie quirked her eyebrow as she lifted her shirt over her head, Arizona's gaze immediately falling to silky black lace covered breasts. "Oh really?" the Latina asked, her wife's reaction not going unnoticed.

Arizona licked her lips as she watched Callie seductively remove her bra, her tanned hands then moving to the button at the fly of her jeans. "Y-yes," the blonde stammered, her eyes traveling southward toward the smooth length of caramel legs that were now being exposed.

"That's fine," Callie replied with a slight shrug of naked shoulders as she removed her last piece of clothing. "No shower sex for you tonight, then," she sexily husked before disappearing behind the shower door.

* * *

The following morning, Callie and Miranda Bailey secretly sat around the large table in the surgical wing's conference room. "So, Daniel and Barbara are going to pick up Sofia today, and then meet us there," Callie said as she checked off items on the to-do list she held in her hands. "I've taken care of the hotel and the plane tickets. You confirmed the caterer, the florist, and everything else, right?"

Miranda rolled her eyes at her friend. "We've been over this a thousand times, Torres," she huffed. "Everything's taken care of, and I swear to God if you question me about this one more time, I'm going to kick your ass."

Callie puffed out her cheeks, exhaling a breath through pursed lips. "I know, I know," she said with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I just want everything to be perfect. Arizona. . ."

"Hey," a perky voice said as the blonde peds surgeon entered the room. "I've been looking for you," she admitted, the smile on her face beginning to fade as she watched Callie quickly gather the papers that were strewn about on the table. "Wh-what are you two up to?"

Miranda's eyes went wide as she looked to Callie to answer her wife. "Umm. . .oh. . .just a. . .consult," Callie uneasily replied, shuffling through menus and to do lists to keep them from her wife's line of sight.

"Yep. A consult," Miranda agreed as she too fidgeted with the items on the table, haphazardly stuffing sheets of paper into a manila envelope. "And we were just about finished. Are we finished here, Torres?"

Callie seemed to ponder the question. "Uh, yeah. Yeah. . .we're through here," she answered. "And I have to get to the OR. It's knee replacement day. Lots and lots of knee replacements. . .and you know how the OR nurses get if we keep them waiting."

Arizona skeptically watched her wife and friend hastily move around the table and toward the exit in an attempt to evade her. Allowing the shorter surgeon to escape, she didn't go so easily on her wife. "What's going on with you, Callie?" she asked as she grabbed her wife's bare forearm, effectively preventing her departure. "What's with all the whispering between you and Sofia a-and the secret meetings with Bailey? Phone calls late at night to God only knows who! Why are you acting so. . ._shady_?"

Callie's posture straightened when she felt Arizona's hand on her arm, her mind racing to figure out what she should say. Turning from the door to face her wife, she sighed. "I'm not acting. . ._shady_, Arizona. Bailey and I were consulting on a patient, a-and don't even try to pretend that you and Sofia don't have your own little secret meetings that you think I don't know about. You're like a tag team or-or whatever," she quipped.

Arizona rolled her eyes, displeased with her wife's response. "I know there's something going on, Calliope. . .and I'm not going to stop asking you or snooping around until I figure out what it is," she stated, shaking her index finger at her wife.

Callie smiled as she grabbed the hand of the finger being wagged in her face. "Keep searching, babe," she insisted as she tugged on her wife's arm, pulling her flush against her own body. "You're not going to find anything," she insisted before leaning forward to engage soft lips in a searing kiss.

Pulling back when oxygen became a necessity, Arizona stared at her wife with a lusty dazed look in her eyes. "Sofia and I are going to be late tonight," Callie softly stated into the blonde's ear. Eagerly moving toward the door, she turned around one last time. "Don't wait up."

* * *

Hours later, Arizona paced the downstairs of their home, anxiously awaiting the arrival of her wife and daughter. She may not have known what those two were up to, but one thing she did know - when someone tells you not to wait up - you wait up. Making another circuit through the kitchen and dining room, and back into the living room, she quickly threw herself onto the couch when she heard a key in the lock, grabbing a magazine from the coffee table in an attempt to make herself look inconspicuous.

As soon as the front door opened, Callie smirked when she saw her wife seated on the sofa. Knowing exactly what Arizona was doing, she ushered Sofia into the house before tossing her purse onto a small table near the door, her jacket quickly finding its way onto the coat rack.

Looking up from the article she was _reading_, Arizona nonchalantly looked toward her family as she stood from her seat to meet them in the foyer. "Time for bed, Sofia," she immediately insisted.

"But, it's Friday," the child whined. "You always let me stay up late on Fridays."

"Not tonight," Arizona informed, pulling her daughter's jacket from her body. After placing a loving kiss on her cheek, she gently stroked her hair. "Go tell your mom goodnight, and then get up the stairs."

"I'm not tired, momma. I don't want to go to bed," Sofia huffed in protest. Noting Arizona's stern look and the nod of Callie's head, she quickly realized it wise to not continue her argument. "Yes, momma," she finally relented. "Goodnight, mom," she said as she embraced Callie.

"Night, big girl," Callie replied into her daughter's hair.

"I think momma is mad," Sofia whispered, softly enough so Arizona couldn't hear. "Are we in trouble?"

Callie chuckled quietly as she continued to hold the girl in her arms. "_You_ are definitely _not_ in trouble. _I_ may be, but you are not. I promise," she stated. Pulling back she smiled into her daughter's worried eyes. "Go to bed, sweetie. I love you."

"Love you, too, mommy," Sofia said before leaving the protection of her mother's arms to hesitantly turn toward the steps, stomping her assent toward her bedroom.

"Love you, babe," Arizona called up the stairs. Receiving no response, she repeated in a sing song voice, "I _said_ I love you, Sofia."

The ten-year-old turned around once she reached the top of the staircase. "Love you," she mumbled as she made her way toward her room.

"What was that?" Arizona asked, hands firmly planted on her hips. "I couldn't hear you."

Sofia rolled her eyes, so much like Callie that it was uncanny. "I _said_, I love you," she shouted before slamming her door behind her.

Callie and Arizona jumped at the sound, both sighing at the presence of the pre-teen behaviors that had recently begun to emerge from their baby girl. Moving quickly through the living room, the Latina knew she needed to get away from her wife, or else face the firing squad equipped with a million questions. "Who needs a drink?" she asked as she hastily moved into the kitchen.

"Not so fast, Calliope Torres," Arizona scolded, immediately on her wife's heels. "Don't even think that you're getting away with being gone all evening without some sort of explanation. I didn't even get so much as a phone call. Not even a text. Nothing. What's going on?"

Callie pulled the cork from her favorite bottle of red before pouring herself a generous amount. Eyes wide, she took a huge gulp, then quickly refilled her glass. "Nothing is going on," she lied. "We've already had this conversation, and I told you that Sofia and I would be out late tonight."

Arizona defiantly crossed her arms over her chest, her right toe tapping against the tiled floor. "Enough of this, Callie. First the secrets between you and Sofia. Then the weirdness with Bailey. This-this staying out all evening is the. . .final straw. Just tell me what's going on. Is something wrong? Is it my parents? Are you pissed at me? Are you dying? Is there something wrong with Sofia?" she rambled, her arms leaving their closed stance over her chest to flail in the air, articulating each question she asked.

"Arizona. . ."

"Why would you hide something so serious from me, Callie? Why would you talk to Sofia about it and not me? And Bailey? Why Bailey? Oh, my God! She's your doctor isn't she? You're sick? You need surgery? Just tell me, Callie. I can take it. If there's something wrong with you, just tell me."

"Arizona!"

"What?"

"Enough!" Callie chastised. "Just stop right there. There's nothing _wrong_ with me, Sofia, or anyone else for that matter," she insisted as she stepped around the island in the middle of the kitchen to stand directly in front of her. Sighing, she shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "Come here," she softly said as she pulled her wife to take a seat on one of the high stools surrounding the bar. "You're parents are coming to Seattle," she began to explain as she stared down at Arizona's hands, her own tanned thumb fiddling with the band of gold and diamonds that circled her wife's ring finger. "There's this pediatric ortho conference in LA next week that I signed us up for. I thought maybe we could get away for a couple days, so your parents are coming to stay with Sof, and I asked Bailey and Karev to keep our interns and residents in line while we're gone. I was trying to surprise you. That's what's going on. No one is _sick_ or _dying_. I swear."

Arizona's mouth fell open in shock. "I-I. . .Callie. . .I'm sorry," she stammered. "I had no idea."

Callie finally glanced up toward her wife, a look of dejection evident on her face. "It's okay," she said, waving her off as she slipped down from the bar stool she was seated upon. "You hate surprises, anyway. I should know that by now. I don't even know why I tried."

Noting the despondency that was now present in her wife's every feature, Arizona suddenly felt very small. "Callie. . .please. . .I. . ."

Callie shook her head, raising her hand to stop her wife's apology. "It's fine, Arizona. Really. I'll just go tell Sofia that she doesn't have to keep our secret anymore. She's been so, _so_ excited about this, though. I guess I should break the news to her, and then head to bed," she sadly stated as she started up the stairs.

"Calliope," the blonde called as she appeared at the bottom of the steps. "I'm sorry. I _really_ am."

"It's fine, Arizona. Don't worry about it," Callie replied. "Goodnight, sweetie. I love you," she said with a sigh as she made her way to the second floor.

Arizona blew out an exaggerated breath as she hung her head, her right hand resting on the banister at the bottom of the staircase. "Shit," she mumbled, angry at herself for upsetting her wife and daughter by spoiling their surprise. Moving back into the kitchen, she grabbed Callie's half empty glass of wine, draining it herself before dismally throwing herself back down on the sofa in the living room.

What the blonde didn't realize was that the moment Callie reached the top of the stairs, a shit-eating grin took over her face as she quickly entered Sofia's bedroom. Happily falling onto their daughter's bed, the Latina squealed in delight into the little girl's pillow as Sofia stared at her like she had gone completely insane.

Their secret plan had not yet been foiled.

* * *

As Arizona stood putting the finishing touches on her make-up the following evening, she heard the door to the attendings' locker room open, causing her to jump with a hell of a fright. Trembling hand coming up to her chest, she quickly turned her attention away from the mirror to look in the direction of the intruder.

"Sorry, Robbins. I didn't mean to scare you," Miranda Bailey said, looking somewhat relieved to find that the blonde senior attending was still at the hospital.

Arizona shook her head. "It's fine, Bailey," she said waving off the shorter surgeon. "If you'll excuse me, though, I have plans with my beautiful wife, tonight," she continued, the look on her face turning pensive. "Although, the way things have gone for the past couple days, I wonder if I'll end up spending the evening alone," she mused more to herself than the other woman standing with her in the room. As she tried to move around the smaller woman, the general surgeon effectively blocked her path. Stopping abruptly, the blonde took a calming breath not wanting to engage her co-worker in an argument just because she had had a rough couple of days. "As much as I like you, Bailey. . .and as much as I'd like to stay here and chat, I really have to go. It's my ten year wedding anniversary, and while my wife seems to have forgotten that fact, I certainly have not!"

Bailey smirked as she watched the fair woman become lost in her own glowering thoughts. Dr. Arizona Robbins looked frazzled, and frazzled was never a good look on the usually lovely and perky kid surgeon.

Realizing that Bailey wasn't going to move out of her path, Arizona threw herself down on the bench behind her with a huff. Yesterday and today had not been good days. Last evening her type-A, know it all personality had caused her to ruin the surprise Callie and Sofia had for her, but she swore to herself as she curled up next to her already sleeping wife later that night that she would make today a better day. It had to be a better day. It should have been the best day. It was their ten year wedding anniversary.

Somehow, though, this day had turned out to be just as bad as the last. It was Saturday. A day that should have been filled with hot morning sex, followed by some extra dirty sex in the shower. For some reason, though, her pager had started blaring at 5:00am with Alex Karev calling off sick. Karev never called off sick. What the hell was going on? What had she done to deserve such torture?

So, with no other options, she had reluctantly dragged herself from the warm cocoon of her wife's embrace to quickly shower and throw on some clothes before rushing out the front door. Arizona had called and texted Callie every free moment she had that morning in hopes that she would be able to join her for lunch at work followed by some afternoon nookie in on-call room five before heading off to perform a kick ass surgery. Then, she planned to get ready for a romantic dinner at a five star restaurant where she could spend some quality time flirting with and staring at her wife's pretty face before hurrying home for some more spectacular sex.

The gods were certainly not smiling down upon her, though, because none of what she wished to happen actually did. She hadn't had _any_ awesome sex - Callie was still asleep when she left their house that morning. After all the texts she had sent inviting her wife to lunch, she had only received one brief response from Callie which simply read: _Hope you're having a good day. See you tonight. Love you! XOXO._

What the hell was that? Today was their anniversary for God's sake. Yes, she had told Callie that she didn't want to make a big deal about it, but she _was_ expecting something. . .anything. She certainly expected to at least get to talk to and see her wife, definitely not to be separated from her for the entire day.

After a terrible morning, Arizona's day had just gone from bad to worse. Her surgery got cancelled, so she spent the remainder of the day catching up on notes and charting - her least favorite thing in the world to do.

So, here she was at the end of a very long, very boring day feeling a little hurt and a lot unloved. Arizona Robbins would power through, though. She still had a meal at her favorite Italian Restaurant to look forward to, and with the strapless blue dress she was wearing - its skirt short and neckline plunging - there was no way her wife would be able to refuse her some hot sex after seeing her in it. With her hair and make-up just the way Callie liked it, Arizona knew that she could still salvage this day - if only the pesky little surgeon standing in her path would just magically disappear.

Standing from the bench, she fixed Miranda with her fiercest of looks, though to her dismay, it only caused the woman to burst into laughter as she watched the blonde stare her down. "Robbins! Can you please stop looking at me like that," Miranda spat. "You just look. . ._weird_." She was the Nazi - she invented that look - there was no way anyone could stare down Miranda Bailey. Not even a pissed off, sex hungry peds surgeon.

"Bailey!" Arizona huffed, her voice rising. "I look weird?" she scoffed. "You're the one blocking my road, and you're staring at me. I have plans. . .hopefully some very, _very_ sexy plans for my ten year anniversary, and I'm going to be late. So, if you could please. . .just. . .move!" she exclaimed, only moments away from reenacting one of Sofia's infamous temper tantrums.

Raising her hands and backing up a few steps, Miranda regarded the surgeon with wide eyes. "Okay, okay! Keep your panties on, Robbins. You _are_ wearing. . .panties, right?" she asked, skeptically eyeing the woman in front of her. You could never tell with this bunch. She had unfortunately been witness to far too many Robbins-Torres encounters over the years, and with the dress the former was currently wearing, there was no telling.

Arizona flailed her arms in the air in exasperation. "Oh, my God, Bailey! Of course I am!" she answered, a deep blush rising up her chest and cheeks. "What the Hell is going on here? Is there something I can do for you?" she quickly asked. "Because if not, I have to go."

Miranda chanced a glance toward the clock on the wall behind Arizona's head. Smiling, she looked back toward the scowling woman in front of her. Arms defiantly crossed over her chest, she knew that she was pissing off the blonde, but she had a job to do and when Miranda Bailey had a job to do, she did it wall. "There is actually," she replied. "I know you're off the clock now, and I know that you have plans this evening, but I really need a favor."

Arizona rolled her eyes. "Really? Now? It can't wait?"

"No. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, Robbins."

Arizona blew out a deep breath. She knew that to be true - Bailey never asked for favors - so this must be a doozy. Looking down at her watch, she noted that she had a little over twenty minutes before she needed to meet Callie for dinner. "Okay, fine!" she relented. "I have to be somewhere in twenty minutes, so if this favor can be done in that amount of time, I'll do it."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Miranda happily stated. "This is a consent form for one of my patients. I need you to take it to her at the Archfield so that we can proceed with her surgery tomorrow morning," she continued, producing a sealed envelope from the pocket of her lab coat.

"Seriously? The Archfield? Why can't you just send one of your defective interns to do it?" Arizona whined. "Did you not just hear what I said? It's my freaking ten year wedding anniversary!" she yelled, completely and totally fed up and more than a little pissed at Bailey's annoying and thoughtless antics.

"You can just stop screeching at me, right now! I heard you the first time!" Miranda argued. "Torres told me about your reservations at _Serafina_, and the Archfield is only five minutes away. You'll have plenty of time to deliver this for me and still make your dinner on time," she pointed out. There was no way she was taking no for an answer. The blonde might be pissed right now, but she'd get over it. Well, at least she hoped she would.

Resigning herself to the fact that the only way she was going to get to see her wife tonight was to agree, she brusquely snatched the enveloped from Miranda's hand. Stalking toward the door, she swung back around. "Who am I to say this is for?" she asked, waving the stupid envelope through the air.

"Oh. . .umm. . .Mrs. Plantain," Bailed replied with a nervous chuckle.

Arizona looked at her co-worker like she had just sprouted a second head. Rolling her eyes, she muttered, "Plantain. . .Mrs. Plantain. For God's sake!" Storming out the locker room door, she left a smirking Miranda Bailey behind who as soon as she was sure the blonde was out of earshot, quickly dialed her phone to speak with. . .Mrs. Calliope Plantain.

* * *

Briskly walking through the lobby of the Archfield, Arizona headed directly to the reception desk. Thanks to Seattle traffic, she was now bordering on being late. She had sent Callie a quick text to let her know, but just like earlier that day, her messages had gone unanswered. Angrier now that she already was, she impatiently tapped her fingers against the desk, faking a loud cough in hopes of getting the attention of the mousey receptionist who was currently flirting with a bellboy.

"How can I help you this evening, ma'am?" the woman finally asked once Arizona had her attention.

"I'd like to have this delivered to Mrs. Plantain, please," Arizona said, handing over the thin envelope Bailey had given her. "I'm not sure of her room number."

Had Arizona been paying attention she would have seen the knowing look on the receptionist's face, but instead she was too busy gazing at the exit, wanting nothing more than to get a move on. "One moment, please. I'll just let Mrs. Plantain know you're here," the receptionist said, quickly moving away to pick up the telephone.

Arizona hastily patted her hand against the wooden desk, trying once again to get the woman's attention. "Wait! No! I don't want to _see_ her. I just want you to deliver this to her," she yelled, surprising even herself. She never yelled, but this was different. Could nothing go right for her today?

Setting the phone back down, the receptionist smiled as she once again approached the steaming blonde. "If you head up to the tenth floor, Mrs. Plantain is waiting for you in the _Rhododendron Ballroom_," the brown haired woman explained as she handed the envelope back to Arizona.

Eyes blazing, Arizona seriously looked as if she was ready to jump across the desk and throttle the woman. "I just told you. I don't want to _deliver_ this to her. I don't even _know_ her. I am simply doing a friend a favor. . .although I'm not sure if I can actually call Miranda Bailey my friend after all this!" she spat. "So you can just call Mrs. Plantain back and tell her she can walk her sweet ass down here to get her own damn mail!" she angrily hissed as she threw the envelope onto the counter.

The receptionist and a few guests passing by stared at the blonde in surprise, her outburst catching their attention. Realizing that she was making a scene, Arizona picked up the envelope before marching off in the direction of the elevators. As she entered the lift, she punched the button for the tenth floor, sure of two things. One - when she finally made it to the restaurant, she might just divorce her wife for being so weird and absent lately, and two - she would never do a favor for Miranda Bailey _ever_ again.

* * *

"So, is she freaking out?" Callie nervously asked as she stood in the center of the ballroom with Bailey on her left and Sofia on her right. "I bet she's totally freaking out."

"_Freaking out _is an understatement, Torres. You sure this is a good idea?" Miranda questioned. "You know she hates surprises."

"I know, I know," Callie replied. "But, I'm sure she's going to be okay with this one. I bet she's really pissed at me right now, though," she continued, a little too gleefully.

"You could say that," Miranda agreed, shooting the brunette a confused look, questioning how she could possibly be so happy that her wife was angry at her. "She was so busy yelling at the receptionist when I came in that she didn't even notice me slip by."

Callie joyfully clapped her hands together. She was just so excited. Glancing around the room at everybody who had joined them for the party, her heart swelled and her excitement bubbled. Bouncing up and down, she just couldn't contain herself.

Any minute now.

* * *

Exiting the elevator once it reached the tenth floor, Arizona made her way down a long hallway looking for the ballroom the receptionist had directed her to. Reaching a set of dark mahogany double doors, Arizona looked up to see a plaque with _Rhododendron Ballroom_ engraved on it. Knocking twice on the large door, she impatiently awaited a response. After a few seconds of getting none, she knocked again.

This time a voice answered. "Come in."

Arizona's brow furrowed. That voice sounded strangely familiar, yet she couldn't quite seem to place it. Sighing heavily, she started to open the door, but stopped, feeling a little uneasy about just walking into a room to deliver something to a complete stranger. Realizing her hesitance was just wasting time, she squared her shoulders, pushing the double doors slowly open. As her eyes flitted around the room, she felt a brief feeling of panic before it instantly vanished to be replaced by utter shock.

"SURPRISE!" Voices echoing the same word rang out all around her as she stood on the threshold of this grand ballroom completely frozen in place.

Barely having time to register the magnitude of people standing in the room or the gorgeous floral arrangements adorning each table, the only thing her startled mind allowed her to focus on was her family. Her gorgeous, amazing wife was standing front and center in a stunning purple dress with nothing but love and devotion written across her face while her beautiful daughter beamed at her with the intoxicating smile she had inherited from her mommy.

Heart pounding in her chest and ears, Arizona opened her mouth to say something, but words completely failed her. The last time Callie had tried to throw her a surprise party, it had gone terribly, horribly wrong, but this time was different. She wasn't angry. She wasn't upset. She wasn't crying tears of sadness over the loss of a patient, but instead, she was now crying tears of joy - tears of happiness and of love.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, her feet propelled her across the room toward the two most important people in her life. The blonde could feel several sets of eyes on her, but she paid them little attention, her sole focus currently on getting to her wife and daughter. "Calliope. . .wh-what's all this?" she asked once she made it just a foot away from the woman of her dreams.

Callie's smile grew impossibly wider. "This is for you, my love," she explained. "Well, for both of us, actually. Happy tenth anniversary, Arizona," she whispered, stepping forward to close the small distance left between them.

Falling into her wife's open arms, Arizona embraced her, tears leaking from her eyes as Callie whispered how much she loved and adored her into her ear. Pulling back, she looked up into the chocolate brown eyes she had spent the past twelve years drowning in with nothing but an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Balling her hand into a fist, though, she suddenly and without warning punched the Latina hard in the arm.

Callie's eyes widened in astonishment. "Ow! Arizona! What the hell?" she questioned, rubbing her arm as their guests began to laugh. "I throw you a surprise anniversary party and all you can do is hit me?"

"You suck, Callie Torres! You lied to me! I spent all day today feeling terrible because I thought I ruined your and Sofia's surprise!" Arizona exclaimed, a perfectly playful pout forming on her face.

Stepping forward, Callie adopted her best repentant look. "Aww, baby. I'm sorry," she apologized. "How can I make it up to you?" she asked, raising her eyebrows in question.

"Well," the blonde began, a cheeky grin on her face. "You could always. . .show me just how much you love me in front of all these people," she suggested, wagging her eyebrows provocatively.

A throaty laugh momentarily erupted from Callie at her wife's goofiness before she quickly swooped in, grabbing Arizona by the waist. Dramatically and with little effort, she dipped the blonde backward to the pleasure of their guests who all gasped and cheered. Gazing down into sparkling blue eyes, Callie whispered _I love you_ before closing the gap between them to lock their lips together in a passionate tryst.

Responding with enthusiasm, Arizona parted her lips to allow Callie's tongue to playfully caress her own. Mouths moving together in perfect unison, their tongues danced as the couple shared their most intimate public display of affection ever. Urgently needing air, they pulled back, both gasping for breath as the crowd around them rang out in applause.

Pulling Arizona upright, Callie then spun her around to face Sofia who was beaming from head to toe. As Arizona approached the little girl, Callie informed their friends and family that they could help themselves to food and drink, allowing the blonde a moment to speak with their daughter.

As the crowd quickly dispersed throughout the room, Callie stepped up next to her family, smiling brightly as she listened to the interaction between mother and child.

"So, you were in on this surprise, huh?" Arizona asked with a smile as she bent down slightly to reach Sofia's level.

"Yep! Mommy and I had so much fun planning this," the smaller Latina cheerfully replied. "I thought you were going to ruin it, though. You're so nosey!"

"Hey!" Arizona playfully scolded as she grabbed the little girl into a hug. "I guess I _am_ kind of impatient sometimes, aren't I?" she joked.

Sofia rolled her eyes exactly like Callie. "You think?" she scoffed. "You're terrible, momma! Mommy said you're worse than a ten. . ." Sofia trailed off, catching Callie's frantic signals indicating she should stop talking.

Glancing over her shoulder, Arizona spotted Callie looking as innocent as possible before turning around once again to carefully appraise Sofia.

The little girl gulped. Her momma just had this way of looking right through her that, while most of the time it made her feel safe, it sometimes scared her. Sometimes like right now.

"I guess I am pretty bad," Arizona conceded. "I think I might actually be _worse_ than you!"

Sofia laughed as she threw her arms around her momma, nearly knocking the blonde off balance. Acting quickly, Callie was there to keep them steady - just like she always was. As the three remained locked in a family hug, Arizona couldn't help the tears that once again began to fall. Nothing in the world could beat this feeling. Nothing at all.

* * *

"Mom!" Arizona scolded as she took a seat next to Barbara Robbins who had just placed a forkful of delicious lobster stuffed beef tenderloin into her mouth. "I can't believe you kept this from me. We just spoke on the phone _two days_ ago. You didn't even tell me that you were coming to watch Sofia while Callie and I are in LA."

Chewing the food in her mouth, Barbara shook her head at her daughter. "Oh hush, Arizona," she finally said after swallowing her bite. "Your wife and daughter love you and wanted to do something special for you. I seem to remember you doing the same thing to Callie just a couple years ago."

Arizona scrunched her face in mock disgust. "Well, that's just. . .that was _different_."

"Oh, really?" Barbara chided with a roll of her eyes. "You love your wife so much that you planned a trip away for her. Callie loves _you_ so much that she planned a lovely surprise anniversary party and a nice little getaway for _you_. I'm not seeing the difference here."

"Well, it just _is_," Arizona replied, quickly stealing a stuffed mushroom cap from Barbara's plate and popping it into her mouth. Closing her eyes as she savored the food, she then smiled mischievously at her mother. "_But_. . .thanks for coming. It means so much to me how supportive you've always been of me and Callie," she continued as she leaned in to hug her.

Barbara kissed her daughter's cheek as they embraced. "You know I love you, sweetheart. I love Callie and Sofia, too. You're father and I both do."

"Love you, too, mom," Arizona softly spoke into her mother's shoulder, tightly closing her eyes in an attempt to keep her emotions in check. "Where is dad, anyway?" she asked once she pulled away.

"Somewhere with Carlos," Barbara replied as she cut into another piece of her meal. "I vaguely heard something about _Chivas Regal_ single malt scotch and betting on a horse race. I have no idea," she admitted with a shrug of her shoulders and a wave of her hand.

"Sounds like you're in for a wonderful night, then," Arizona teased.

* * *

Making her rounds through the crowd of guests, Arizona sidled up next to Miranda Bailey and Teddy Altman in mid conversation before throwing her arms around the ex-Army surgeon for the millionth time that night.

"Well, hello there. . ._again_," Teddy laughed, embracing the slightly younger surgeon.

Arizona hadn't been able to stop hugging Teddy all night. When she saw her earlier in the evening, standing there with a beaming smile on her face, the blonde's heart was sure it was going to burst. Teddy was one of her closest friends - their bond only growing stronger when the cardiothoracic attending left Seattle Grace Mercy West to take a position with Medical Command all those years ago. Through yearly visits, weekly phone conversations, and regular Skype contact, she and Teddy, along with Callie managed to remain as up-to-date with each other's lives as possible.

During the days post amputation, Teddy had often been a source of comfort, and at times, someone who was willing to virtually kick Arizona's ass when the need arose. Only a phone call away, Teddy Altman remained one of Arizona's closest friends and confidants, and to have her here tonight sharing this special occasion with Callie and herself, meant nothing short of the world to her. "I'm so happy you're here, Teddy! So, so _super_ happy!" Arizona said, practically jumping up and down with joy.

Teddy laughed as Miranda rolled her eyes. "I'm happy to be here, Arizona. I wouldn't have missed this for the world," she honestly replied. "Like I said earlier, you and Callie look amazing, and I'm so happy for you," she continued, her voice cracking a bit toward the end.

Teddy didn't make friends easily, but the perky blonde peds surgeon had somehow managed to crawl her way into her heart and easily stay there. She fondly remembered when Arizona had declared herself her new friend. Slightly taken back at the time, it turned out that becoming friends with Arizona Robbins was indeed the best decision she had ever made. They had formed an easy friendship during the time they worked together, and though she had quickly left for her new job at Medical Command the day following her resignation from SGMW, she remembered feeling sick to her stomach when she received the news about the plane crash. She had spent days worrying - days with her heart pounding as she awaited some news.

When she had finally spoken to Callie, she remembered dropping the phone and rushing to the bathroom to empty her stomach. Because of her close friendship with Arizona, she had formed one with the Latina as well, and the sheer devastation and worry she heard in Callie's voice had scared Teddy to death - and she was not a woman who scared easily.

Once the blonde had been rescued and then settled into the hospital, she and Arizona had spoken several times over the phone - the cardio surgeon trying her best to comfort the blonde when she needed it most. When she had received news of Arizona's amputation, she felt her heart drop into her stomach, guessing how devastated her friend had to have been.

For weeks and weeks after that, Arizona had refused to take her calls, but eventually through a very detailed email about coming back to Seattle, threatening to drag her ass out of bed, the blonde eventually replied. For months, Teddy made sure she called every single day, even if it was just to say _hello_. Their friendship strengthened over this time, and soon Arizona Robbins was the best friend she had always wanted. Teddy knew that the couple being honored here tonight had been through Hell and back over the years, but witnessing the pure love that was evident between the two now, made her heart lighter.

"Aww, Teddy. You're so kind," Arizona said, going in for another hug.

"Ok, enough of the huggy, touchy, feely, you two!" Bailey piped up, though she was secretly thrilled for the blonde. She had been somewhat skeptical of the roller skating kid surgeon when she first arrived at SGMW, but over the years, Miranda Bailey had come to care for the blonde surgeon, even considering her one of her best friends. She just liked to give her a little crap from time to time - she was often easy to work up, and her reactions always made for some entertainment.

"Feeling left out, Bailey?" Teddy drawled cheekily as she sipped from her whiskey on the rocks, Arizona giggling beside her.

Rolling her eyes, the shorter surgeon scowled. "Dr. Altman, I certainly do not feel _left_ _out_ of anything," she firmly stated. "Robbins here knows how much I hate all this. . ." she waved her hands towards the two laughing women in front of her, ". . .giggly, girly, _Oh my_ _God_ crap."

It was Teddy's turn to now roll her eyes as Arizona narrowed her own which shone mischievously. "Well, at least Teddy is a _good_ friend. She never would have sent me on a wild goose chase like you did today," she sternly mocked.

Teddy cleared her throat, her eyes widening as she took a sip from her glass. Catching the guilty look on the cardio surgeon's face, Arizona then skeptically glanced between Teddy and Miranda. "What?" she asked. "What was that look for?"

"I _so_ would have sent you on a wild goose chase, given the chance to see the dazed and confused look on your face when you got here," Teddy admitted. "You don't seem to know me as well as you think you do, Arizona."

Arizona looked hurt, playfully smacking Teddy on the arm. "You both are _horrible_ friends!" she exclaimed. "Terrible, awful friends. I would know, because I am and _awesome_ friend."

"Oh, shut it, Robbins," Bailey demanded. "You know you love us."

"Do not," the blonde argued with her sternest look. One again looking between her so called friends, all three women soon burst into a fit of laughter at their antics as they continued to enjoy their time spent together on this momentous occasion.

Looking over as she heard her wife's infectious laughter, Callie felt a fire burn deep within her. Although she had danced with Arizona, stolen plenty of kisses, and joined in on conversations with her, she hadn't yet had time to really just. . .gawk at her. Now that she was, her mouth went completely dry as other places grew slightly damp. The dress Arizona was wearing was nothing short of _lusciously sexy_. She wasn't sure she had ever seen her wife in something so _short_ or so. . ._risqué_, but she certainly was working it. She was hot, and she was sexy, and who was Callie to argue with that.

"Drooling is never a good look on you, Cal."

Callie immediately whipped her head around to see Cristina Yang staring at her as she held a drink in each of her hands.

Chuckling at the sight of her former roommate, Callie stepped closer to her. "Nice to see you're taking advantage of the open bar, Cristina," she dryly remarked.

Cristina glanced toward the tumblers in her hands. "Whatever," she scoffed. "You're still drooling, and it doesn't become you, _Calliope_!" she drawled, trying her best to adopt a high pitch voice, obviously attempting to imitate the woman whose ass the Latina was currently ogling.

"Shut up!" Callie exclaimed. "And really, can you blame me? Seriously, just look at her. Look at _that ass_!" she practically shouted, her usual brazenness not failing her.

Cristina shrugged her shoulders. "You're right. I can't blame you. Robbins is hot!" she agreed. "If I was into all that lady lovin', I'd totally do her!" the cardiothoracic attending added before strolling off, leaving Callie staring after her with her mouth open wide, completely in shock.

* * *

So far the night had been a complete and total success, and Callie couldn't help the pride she felt that she had actually been able to pull it off. Their friends and family were having a blast, Sofia was currently dancing the chicken dance with Arizona, Cristina, and Barbara - both of her girls looking so happy that they could just burst. The champagne flowed freely, their guests enjoying drinks of all varieties as they nibbled on the finest gourmet food in all of Seattle.

Callie and Arizona had both danced with their fathers and fathers-in-law, and even Alex Karev had managed to spin Arizona around the dance floor without stepping on her toes. The highlight of the evening, so far, however - Callie and Arizona dancing together in the middle of the floor to the song they first danced to as a married couple. The two of them made a show of themselves once again - kissing and cuddling - just loving each other as they shared this wonderful evening with the most important people in their lives.

Smiling as she watched mother, daughter, and grandmother shake their tushes to the music, Callie moved toward the center of the room, grabbing a flute of champagne from a passing waiter along the way. Asking the DJ to lower the volume, she took his microphone, clearing her throat to gain everyone's attention. It took a few moments, but upon seeing her, Carlos quickly helped his daughter out by clanking his knife against his own glass signaling for everyone to pay attention.

Briefly reminded of her fear of public speaking as all eyes turned in her direction, Callie hastily looked toward Arizona and Sofia's adoring faces, forcing her urge to hurl right then and there to the back of her mind so that she could focus on what she wanted to do. "I. . .umm. . .if I could interrupt for just a second. . .I'd like to say a few words," she slightly stumbled, but locking her eyes with the beautiful blue ones staring back at her, she found the courage she needed to continue.

"First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for coming tonight," she began, a megawatt smile consuming her face. "I know Arizona and I both appreciate having you all here to help us celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary."

She was momentarily interrupted by a round of applause before continuing. "I want to say a special thank you to Miranda Bailey for all of her help in organizing this party _without_ Arizona's knowledge. I know it wasn't easy!"

"Ain't that the truth!" Miranda shouted from the side of the room where she stood mingling with Owen Hunt, Meredith Grey, and April Kepner. "Your wife is like this cute and perky, but snappy pit-bull when she wants to be," she pointed out, causing everyone to laugh at her description of Arizona while the woman in question stuck out her bottom lip in an adorable pout.

Callie only laughed as she motioned for Arizona to join her in the center of the room. Setting her glass of champagne onto the table in front of her, she took the blonde's hand into her own once she stepped up next to her before leaning over to chastely kiss her upon the cheek. "To Sofia, who is the best partner in crime any mother could ever ask for," Callie continued, winking at the little girl who stood proudly between Barbara and Daniel. "To my father. . .and the best in-laws in the world. . .thank you for flying out here and sharing this night with us. Also, to Teddy Altman, who I know has been a wonderful friend to not only Arizona but myself throughout the years. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come celebrate with us. I know Arizona has missed you a lot."

Callie paused again as everyone politely clapped. Once the applause died down, she took a deep breath, turning to face her wife who shyly regarded her through thick eyelashes, causing Callie's heart to skip a beat. Grasping tightly to Arizona's pale hand, she mentally prepared herself to give one Hell of a speech. She wanted Arizona to hear exactly how she felt in front of everyone that was important to them.

Once again clearing her throat, Callie gently kissed Arizona's forehead. "Last, but definitely not least - to my beautiful, amazing, and courageous wife. I want to thank you, Arizona for making the last ten years the most amazing years of my life. I want to thank you for loving me, for supporting me, for accepting me. For loving me when I-I wasn't able to love myself," she honestly stated as tears began to well in her eyes. "As clichéd as it sounds, I always thought that love like this - love like you and I share - only happened in fairytales. To know that I've been able to experience what most people only dream of - what fairytales are made of - I will forever be thankful to you. You have given me a home, a beautiful daughter, a family, and a place I know I will always be loved."

Arizona nodded her head as Callie gathered her thoughts. "I know we have had our rough times, but the one constant throughout everything has been your overwhelming love for me. That has never been in question, and I know - without a doubt - that in another ten years, I will be standing here once again - holding your hand and looking into your eyes - just as infatuated with you as I was when you kissed me in that dirty bar bathroom all those years ago. Right now, I love you more than I did on the day we took our vows, and I am positive that somehow, years from now, I'll love you even more than I do today. You are my salvation. You are my hope. . .and you are my joy. You light up my life," she finished, her attention solely on the gorgeous woman staring back at her.

At this point, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Arizona stood there literally speechless and shaking from emotion. She couldn't make words - not yet, at least - so she did the only thing she could think of.

Just like earlier, without a care in the world, Arizona moved forward and kissed her wife. She kissed her softly, yet passionately - conveying every single ounce of love and devotion she held for this amazing woman in her arms. Pulling back breathlessly, she leaned her forehead against Callie's before reaching up to brush stray tears away from tanned cheeks with the pads of her thumbs. "I love you so _fucking_ much," the blonde whispered, moving in for a more heated kiss. All she wanted at that moment was to whisk her wife away somewhere more private and make love to her all night long.

"Mmm. . .God. I love you, too," Callie panted as she reluctantly dragged herself away after hearing the wolf whistles and catcalls of Alex Karev, Jackson Avery, and Shane Ross.

Arizona nuzzled her nose against Callie's. "How am I supposed to say anything after a speech like that?" she softly asked. "You've certainly gotten over your fear of public speaking, haven't you?"

Callie only laughed, stepping back slightly, but still staying connected via their joined hands. Sniffling a few times as she wiped her eyes with her free hand, Arizona took a deep breath. Taking the microphone from her wife, she turned to face the throng of people intently watching them. "I'm not sure I can top what my wife just said, but I'd like to just second her thanks to everyone for being here, tonight," she began. "I'm sure you could tell by the stunned look on my face when I got here that it really was a surprise - an amazingly _awesome_ one, at that," she admitted with a cheesy dimpled grin that caused their guests to laugh. "I am so thankful to have such wonderful family and friends to be able to share such an occasion with."

Mimicking her wife from moments ago, she turned back around to face Callie, their hands still joined. "Calliope. . .I-I'm not sure I've ever told you this before, so since we're alone with no one else around. . ." she teased, glancing mischievously back toward the crowd, ". . .I might as well tell you now."

Callie chuckled softly at her wife's antics, reaching forward with her free hand to push blonde curls back from her shoulder. Arizona smiled, her wife's touch, no matter where they were or what they were doing, never ceasing to cause shivers to course down her spine.

"You've always told me that I saved you - that I picked you up and put you back together after being so broken and so defeated," Arizona continued. "And, maybe I did do that, but what you don't know is that you saved me, too. Before I met you, I was just. . .treading water. I had a great job, good friends, and I was happy with my life. I liked it the way it was, and I didn't want it to change. Well, at least I thought I didn't," she thoughtfully added. "But, then you came along. You were - _are_ - miraculous, Calliope Torres. Beautiful, breathtakingly stunning - _badass_ - and you blew me out of the water."

"I tried anything and everything before I found you, but nothing was ever enough to fulfill me. Nothing I've ever done in my life has made my heart pound, my pulse race - nothing ever made me want to do better, to be better. Except you," Arizona stated, biting her bottom lip in an attempt to keep herself from crying. "The moment I laid eyes on you, I knew that everything I had done in my past would be nothing compared to what you could give me. You showed me that change isn't a bad thing, you showed me that love is something I can do. You showed me that. . .I could be a mother. You, Calliope Torres, saved me. Not just back then, but now, as well. You love me, you cherish me, and you support me. Sometimes, I look at you, and I wonder how on earth I got to so lucky. Not one day goes by that my heart isn't full of love and joy for you and for our family. You are not only my lover and my partner, but you are my best friend - my soul mate - and I want to thank you for loving me. . .because without you, I would still be treading water. I'd still be stuck in one place, but now. . .every single day. . .I'm swimming, and that - that is only because of your love for me," she concluded in a shaky voice as tears now leaked from her baby blues.

Once again, there wasn't a dry eye in the room, even Cristina couldn't hide the lone tear that escaped though she hastily wiped it away. Callie was a hot mess - so much for waterproof mascara - make-up darkened tears streaked down her face as she pulled her wife to her once again capturing her lips with her own. Bypassing soft and sweet, they skipped straight to heated and passionate, Callie's tongue immediately running along Arizona's bottom lip and begging for entrance as she sucked on the top one, causing the blonde to moan into her mouth.

Breathlessly pulling away, they lovingly stared into each other's eyes, the sheer magnitude of their dedication and commitment to one another evident there. "I'm so in love with you, Arizona Robbins," Callie stated, her voice thick with emotion. "You're amazing."

"No, baby," Arizona softly disagreed. "_We're_ amazing."

* * *

"I have to say, Callie," Arizona said as she moved around the luxurious suite of the Archfield where they were spending the night. "You got me good. I was totally surprised, and I had a wonderful night," she admitted with a chuckle.

Callie stepped up beside her, the megawatt smile that had been tugging at her lips for the entire evening still plastered on her beautiful face. "Well," she softly replied as she tucked blonde curls behind her wife's ear. "The party may be over, but our night is _not_," she seductively stated as she leaned down to place a moist kiss on her wife's bare shoulder before blazing a trail of hot kisses across an ivory clavicle.

"Oh, really," Arizona teased. "Did you have something in mind?" she asked, her fingers getting lost in the brunette tresses at the back of her wife's head.

Callie halted her ministrations over her wife's skin to gaze into her beautiful blue eyes. "I do," she simply replied. "And I could tell you, but it would really be easier if I just showed you."

Arizona's eyebrows rose in question as she watched Callie do the opposite of what she was hoping for. Expecting Callie to move toward the king size bed in their master suite, the blonde was surprised to see her walk backwards toward the French Doors leading out onto the balcony. "Umm, Calliope," she began. "Don't you think you're needed over here, baby?" she seductively purred as she tried to entice her wife by running her hands down the sides of her own body.

Callie's eyes nearly bugged out of her head at her wife's sexy display, but she was a woman with a plan and refused to be distracted. "I think you should follow me, sweetie. You're not going to want to miss out on what I have planned for you," she huskily replied.

In one swift motion, the Latina's deep purple dress was sliding from her body to pool at her feet, leaving her standing with absolutely nothing on. Giggling at the slack jawed look on Arizona's face, Callie could practically see the drool dripping from her now wide open mouth. "Coming?" she teased, turning around to head out into the night, her hips swaying deliciously to tease her wife even more.

Not needing to be asked twice, Arizona hastily made her way toward the now open doors. Shedding clothes along the way, she was completely naked by the time she stepped outside. Long gone were the days when she felt insecure about only having one leg - one look from Callie was all it took to show her exactly what she needed to know. Her wife found her sexy, _and_ she wanted her.

Peeking out the door, Arizona looked around in astonishment as she took in the scene. Her wife, naked and sexy, sat in a bubbling hot tub on their private balcony under the stars, candles scattered across the deck with what looked to be her favorite bottle of white wine chilling in a bucket along with chocolates and roses arranged on a nearby table. "Callie. . .this is. . .it's beautiful," she managed to get out. "_You're_ beautiful."

Callie smiled, pleased with the blonde's response. "You going to join me?" she asked. "It's really lovely in here," she continued, tipping her head upward to stare at the stars. The night air was a bit chilly, but not too cold, the hot tub easily taking off the edge - not to mention the fact that she had a feeling that sooner, rather than later, both of them were going to be severely overheated, anyway.

Enthusiastically nodding her head, Arizona walked to the edge of the hot tub. Placing herself on the edge, she slipped off her prosthesis before sliding into the warm rolling water. "Oh my God. This feels amazing," she breathed out. "You've gone all out, tonight. Thank you, baby," she gratefully stated as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back, basking in the brilliance of the entire evening.

"Does that mean you're not still pissed at me?" Callie asked with a chuckle. "Bailey said you were pissed."

Arizona opened her eyes to look toward the sensual woman submersed in the water next to her. "I was just a little. . ._frustrated_."

"You were pissed," Callie countered.

Arizona playfully rolled her eyes. "Fine! I was pissed," she huffed, flipping water in her wife's face. "But not anymore. How could I possibly still be _pissed_ when you've done all this?" she teased, a dimpled grin curling on her lips.

Callie returned that infectious smile as she leaned over to lay a gentle kiss on her wife's cheek. "Anything for you, Arizona. You deserve nothing but the best," she softly stated as she watched her wife relax beside her.

They sat silently for a moment, both enjoying the atmosphere and the romance of the evening. Reliving the earlier events spent with their guests, they now reveled in the time spent alone. Their lives were still every bit as hectic as they had been two years ago when they had hit a rut in their marriage - Sofia still kept them busy around the clock and work - well, work never slowed down, but the difference now was that they made time for each other. Even if it was only for a half hour a day or an hour in the evening, they had definitely learned from their past mistakes and adamantly refused to allow history to repeat itself.

They talked openly. They communicated better. They weren't perfect by any means - they still fought and disagreed on occasion - but they were better. They were happy and in love, and life was as close to perfect as either of them could have ever hope for.

"You hungry? Thirsty?" Callie asked, her voice penetrating the silence.

Arizona opened her eyes and shook her head, her eyes now mesmerized by the full breasts peeking out above the water's edge.

Realizing what Arizona was staring at, Callie blushed before rolling her eyes. She swore to God that her wife was worse than a teenage boy. "Well, then. What do you want?" she husked, voice dropping an octave.

Arizona bit her bottom lip as she pondered the truthful answer to that question. "You. I want you, Callie."

"Well by all means. . .please, come and take me," Callie responded, shivering as the words left her mouth. The look in Arizona's eyes was one she had seen on many occasions, predatory and lustful, but full of adoration.

Smirking deviously, Arizona pushed herself away from the wall of the hot tub, moving through the heated water toward her awaiting wife. Reaching forward, tanned hands grasped onto firm hips the moment the blonde was within reach. Whimpering as Callie pulled her so that she was straddling her lap, Arizona automatically wrapped her leg around her wife's waist, her own pale hands quickly cupping heavy breasts as she leaned in for a sizzling kiss.

Deep, guttural moans soon began to escape both women as the heat that had been smoldering between them all night escalated into a raging inferno. Arizona's hands busied themselves pinching turgid peaks and caressing heaving breasts while one of Callie's hands squeezed her wife's hip, the other scratching up and down the long muscles of her slender back. Hungry mouths moved together, teeth and tongues fighting to bring the other more and more pleasure.

Callie was the first to rip herself away, panting and gulping for air. Arizona's hands slowed, but did not still as she continued to stimulate rock hard nipples. "That feels. . .God, Arizona. Fucking. . ._fantastic,_" Callie admitted, enjoying the sensations now coursing through her entire body.

"Yeah," Arizona breathlessly agreed.

"Uh-huh," Callie breathed. "Let me show _you_ how good it feels," she moaned, lowering her head to take one of Arizona's nipples into her mouth.

"Oh. . .oh. . ." the blonde gasped as she thrust forward, her pelvis rocking into Callie's stomach. Both the brunette and the blonde growled at the movement, Arizona's head thrown back in ecstasy while Callie lapped at the bouncing breasts in front of her. "Please, Calliope! I need. . .God. . .I n-need. . ." she stammered, her breath stolen away by the amazing things her wife was doing with her mouth. She couldn't sit still, her core was aching to be touched - every thrust forward supplying a tiny amount of friction, but not enough. It was nowhere near enough - she needed more, and only Callie could give it to her.

"What Arizona? What do you need? Tell me baby," Callie demanded as she switched from one perfectly rounded breast to the other. She could tell her wife was losing control. She knew she was desperate - the whimpers, gasps, and moans along with the thrusting of her hips gave it away. It made the Latina crazy with desire knowing how much she could turn Arizona on - knowing that only she could give her what she wanted - what she _needed_.

"Fuck. . .please!"

"Tell me!" Callie repeated as she pulled back to look into eyes that were now a darkened shade of deep blue.

Reaching forward, Arizona cupped Callie's cheeks, leaning in closely so her breath ghosted across plump lips. "I need you. Inside me. I need your fingers. . .inside me. . .making me come," she seductively whispered as she rested their foreheads together. "I need to be inside you, too. I need to feel you at the same time, baby," she added.

"Oh, God. . ." Callie groaned at the wanton lust she heard in her wife's voice, her hips acting of their own volition to thrust upward into the blonde's core. Nodding her head frantically, she leaned in, her lips capturing the pink ones in front of her. "I love you," she then whispered as her hand traveled down a sleek abdomen to land upon wet curls.

"Oh, yes! I love you, too," Arizona squealed as long fingers toyed just above where she needed them most. She was so close, and she had the undeniable need to be inside her wife while Callie was inside her, as well. She loved nothing more than when they pleasured each other at the same time - when they rode that high together as they gazed into each other's eyes.

"Together," Callie breathlessly murmured, her heart pounding at their intimacy.

"Together," Arizona repeated as she let her own hand find her wife's pulsing center.

"Yes!"

"Fuck!"

Simultaneous moans of pleasure and praised encouragement left each woman's mouth as they entered one another at the same time. A hard, fast, and deep rhythm was automatically initiated, both of them wanting to reach that peak as quickly as possible. They had the whole night ahead of them, but right now all they wanted was to feel the other quaking in their arms, hearing their own name echoing into the night.

"You f-feel so good, Arizona," Callie panted, moving her hips in time with the powerful thrusts her wife was sinking into her depths, her body tingling and her mind a haze of lust and pleasure.

"Yes! Mmm. . .you too, baby. . ."

"Jesus, Arizona. Y-you're so fucking s-sexy," Callie complemented, mesmerized by the vision in front of her.

Arizona was straddling her lap - her leg tight around her waist and her head thrown back in ecstasy. As one ivory hand dug into the caramel skin of her shoulder, the other worked to bring her to blissful climax. The blonde's magnificent breasts with tightly aroused nipples swayed deliciously in front of Callie's face as she bounced up and down on her lap. With damp golden locks now plastered to her forehead, she was a vision of absolute beauty, the sight enough to tip Callie over the edge. "I-I'm. . .gonna c-come," she loudly moaned as her pelvis began to rock more erratically, her entire form soon convulsing and then going completely rigid against the blonde's body as Arizona continued to scream for her to go faster, to go deeper, for just a little bit more.

The moans, the sight in front of her, her wife's words all hit Arizona at once as she exploded around Callie's fingers, her back arching and pelvis thrusting as her eyes locked onto now wide brown ones that were filled with the pleasure only she could bring her.

Callie gasped and groaned as she watched Arizona's orgasm wash over her face, their fingers never stopping, but turning more gentle as they rode out the exquisite bliss they shared. Just as she was starting to come down from the incredible high, Callie jumped in shock, water splashing out of the hot tub when she felt a thumb forcefully rubbing circles over her sensitive clit.

"W-what. . .babe?" she questioned.

"Again. I need to go again," Arizona replied, rocking down on the fingers still buried deep inside her.

Callie watched spellbound as her wife urgently rode her hand. She was frenzied, she was needy - she was gorgeous. Leaning in, the Latina desperately kissed her before pulling away. "I'm glad you need to go again," she husked into the blonde's ear, pressing her own thumb against Arizona's swollen bundle of nerves. "Because I plan on making love to you. . .all. Night. Long."

* * *

Holding tightly to Callie's hand as they wheeled their baggage behind them the following morning, Arizona guided them left and right in an attempt to dodge the other travelers racing past them to board their own flights.

After making love twice more in the hot tub the night before, they then moved to the bathroom for a quick round of steamy shower sex, before falling into the king size bed together for three more rounds of intensely life affirming sex. After spending most of the night making love, they then chatted giddily until the wee hours of the morning, laughing with each other in bed, both women genuinely enjoying the other's presence. Exhaustion soon took over, however, as they fell asleep tightly cuddled in each other's arms.

Baggage now checked and boarding passes in hand, Callie took the lead, navigating them through the sea of busy travelers on their way to their various destinations across the globe. Looking up at the screens to see the departure information, Arizona moved left as Callie moved right, their joined hands jerking them to a halt. "Where are you going?" Arizona asked as she stepped closer to her wife. "Our gate is this way," she stated, hitching her thumb over her shoulder to the right.

"No it's not," Callie argued. "I'm pretty sure it's this way," she stated, pointing in the opposite direction.

Arizona skeptically regarded her wife, but followed her nonetheless. "Are you sure we're going the right way," she asked moments later.

Callie rolled her eyes, exhaling an exaggerated breath. "Yes, Arizona," she admonished as she tugged her along by the hand. "The conference is in Los Angeles. I'm simply following the signs for departures from SEA to LAX. We've flown to LA for conferences a million times. I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing."

Arizona reluctantly followed behind her wife, but as the last sign for departures to LAX passed, she could no longer keep quiet. "I swear we passed the flight to LA like ten gates ago," she groaned when Callie finally pulled them to a stop.

"You're right, maybe we did," the Latina sheepishly replied.

"Wh-what's going on, Callie?" Arizona asked suspiciously, her eyebrows rising in question. "You're acting _shady_ again. What's going on?"

"Shhh!" Callie insisted, pressing her index finger against the blonde's lips to shush her. Pointing upward with the opposite hand, she tilted her head to the side, straining to hear the overhead announcements for departures.

"Callie!" Arizona whined.

"I said shhh, Arizona!"

Arizona questioningly regarded her wife before turning her head in confusion toward the gate. "What are you. . ."

"_Good afternoon_," an overhead announcement began, interrupting her annoyed response. "_This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 128 to Suva, Fiji. We are now inviting those passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you._"

With her mouth falling open, Arizona slowly dragged her gaze back toward her wife who was smiling at her like a fool. "Umm. . .Calliope?"

* * *

**AN3: **So, what do you think? Another surprise vacation sounds amazing! I sincerely hope you enjoyed this epilogue, and I look forward to reading your reviews/comments. A brand new story will be heading your way very soon, so please be on the lookout. Happy Grey's Day. . .even though it's not new!


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